Australian rugby union player Kurtley Beale has been arrested over an alleged sexual assault in Sydney's east last year.

A 28-year-old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted at Beach Road Hotel in Bondi Beach on December 17, 2022.

Police have investigated the matter and today arrested 33-year-old Beale after stopping his car on Rainbow Road, Kingsford, around 2.30pm.

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The new father has been taken to Waverley Police Station.

The investigation is continuing.

"Rugby Australia, the NSW Waratahs and Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) are aware of the situation involving Kurtley Beale," a joint statement from Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs said.

"As this is a police matter, and we understand there has been no charge made, we will be making no further comment at this time."

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Beale is one of Australian rugby's highest-profile players of the past decade. He made his international debut for the Wallabies in 2009, and has since earned more than 90 Test caps.

He was part of the Waratahs' Super Rugby-winning squad in 2014 and represented the Wallabies at three Rugby World Cups – 2011, 2015 and 2019.

His international career seemed to have come to an end following the 2019 campaign, when he left Super Rugby to join French side Racing 92.

However, he made a comeback two years later in 2021 for a Test against Scotland.

He has since rejoined the Waratahs for the 2023 Super Rugby season, and earlier this month was one of 44 players selected for a four-day Wallabies training camp on the Gold Coast.