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After losing the last nine Super Rugby games on the trot during the 2012 season, Michael Foley was sacked as Waratahs coach.
Fair enough, it was the worst record in New South Wales’ proud history. Foley was obviously to blame with the Waratahs bristling with Wallabies.
Or was he?
Events since suggest otherwise. The rotten NSW culture suggests it was rampant in 2012, given it’s not far from the surface in 2014.
In short, it appears Foley was unfairly blamed for the record season total of 12 losses in 2012, and I for one apologise for lumping the blame solely on him.
Last season the Force turned to Foley when incumbent Richard Graham decided to go back to the Reds. The question was asked at the time, why would the Force pick Foley after his disastrous season with the Waratahs? And why hand him a three-year contract?
Last year the Force returned a 4-11-1 record; surely Foley had to go again? But to the Force’s credit, they stuck with the former Wallaby hooker.
Wallaby legend Tim Horan said last February that Foley had to win two or three games in the first eight to have any chance of retaining his job. The general consensus was Foley wouldn’t last the season.
But Foley has shot that theory to ribbons with six wins in the first nine games, including a franchise record of five wins in succession against the Rebels, Highlanders, Chiefs, Reds and Waratahs.
Some handy scalps in that lot.
Better still, the Force lies third on the overall Super Rugby table with 27 points, just behind the Sharks on 31 and Brumbies on 30. The Force are now genuine finals series contenders, with games against the Cheetahs and the Stormers after next weekend’s bye. They then finish the schedule with the Lions, Crusaders, Blues, Reds, and Brumbies.
It’s a tough ask, but there’s no-one in the west who doesn’t believe in the team led by Foley and captain Matt Hodgson. Those supporters are talking with their feet – even torrential rain doesn’t stop 17,000 or more turning up.
As an astute and inspirational leader, Hodgson is the first to admit the success is built around Foley. He’s the force behind the Force.
Which raises a double-barrelled question – were the Waratahs players to blame for 2012?
On the recent results of both franchises, it would be a very safe bet to say the Waratahs were their own worst enemy in 2012. Foley should be exonerated.
Again, I apologise to Michael Foley for blaming him for the humiliation. He’s shown at the Force he’s a very capable coach in his ability to have everyone on the roster playing for each other and doing the basics well.
A finals berth will confirm that.
In the meantime, Michael Cheika still has to rid the NSW roster of that lingering rot that keeps surfacing after positive and entertaining victories.
Not even a leaf out of the Foley success book will rid the Waratahs of that culture. Only the players can, and it’s high time they did.