Rugby: Wallabies star Kurtley Beale has knee surgery

Kurtley Beale of the Waratahs grimaces as he receives attention for a knee injury. Photo/Getty

Wallabies and NSW Waratahs star Kurtley Beale has undergone successful knee surgery, but his camp are angry at the way English club Wasps handled the announcement of his signing.

Beale had the surgery on Monday after suffering the injury in the opening minute of the Waratahs' match against the Bulls at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

A statement issued by the Waratahs on Monday afternoon said the procedure on 27-year-old Beale went well with a good fixation of the patella tendon back onto the patella bone.

The 60-times capped Wallaby will remain sidelined for four to six months and will spend the next six weeks in a range of motion braces.

The prognosis was much better than expected given the tendon remained intact, requiring less invasive surgery, and that the injury was isolated with no other damage to the knee.

If the time frame proves accurate Beale will miss the rest of the Waratahs' Super Rugby season, the three-Test home series against England in June, probably the entire Rugby Championship and possibly the start of Wasps' 2016-17 campaign.

Beale has signed a one-year contract with an option for a 12-month extension with Wasps.

His annual salary is reported to be worth in excess of STG700,000 ($A1.38 million), making him the highest-earning player in English Premiership history.

Wasps confirmed Beale's signing through their Twitter feed just a few hours before the player took the field against the Bulls.

Beale wasn't given prior notification of the timing of the tweet by Wasps, but found out about it before running out on to Allianz Stadium.

It is understood he was unhappy about the situation and he is expected to make his feelings clear on a television interview later this week.

Youngster David Horwitz, who made Super debut in the opening round and replaced Beale against the Bulls, is in line to start against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday.

- AAP