After struggling through his worst game of the Rugby World Cup before reprising his role as the team’s ice-man, Wallabies five-eighth Bernard Foley admits he “owed it to the team” to nail the most important kick of his career.
The five-eighth had endured a difficult afternoon with the boot, missing his first three kicks after entering the elimination quarter-final as one of the tournament’s best-performed kickers.
Foley, who dropped two bombs in the first half, had also been at fault for Scotland’s second try, when a clearing kick was charged down by his opposite, Finn Russell, who regathered and offloaded for Tommy Seymour to cross in the corner.
But with one final chance, he rose to the occasion and split the uprights, securing a dramatic 35-34 victory.
Teammate Will Genia admitted he couldn’t even watch as the kick was being taken – and was relying on a small cheer, rather than a big one from the parochial home crowd, to echo around the Twickenham stadium to let him know whether the Wallabies had won.
But only one thought was going through the mind of Foley.
“I was thinking I owed the team after getting that kick charged down,” he said.
“It was a bit of ‘let’s make up for it and think of the job at hand and back yourself to hit it sweetly’.
“It was the best hit I did all night.”
The 26-year-old, who has been working with kicking coach Chris Malone to hone his consistency in late-game situations, blocked out all negative thoughts.
The result was the biggest moment in his career.
“It’s definitely the most important,” said Foley, whose cool-headed kicking helped deliver the NSW Waratahs the 2014 Super Rugby title.
“We talk about this World Cup as the biggest thing we’ll ever play in and, for me, it’s exactly that.
“To keep us in the tournament, to find a way to win, it shows character of this side, and all the hard work and belief and detail we’ve put in leading into the tournament.
“We haven’t left any stone unturned in what we’ve done in the lead-up and staying alive in the tournament is a god’s blessing and we want to go on with it.”
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who also mentored Foley at the Waratahs, put complete faith in the young playmaker.
It’s why he chose to leave Foley in the match, despite an indifferent display, instead of bringing the enigmatic Quade Cooper off the bench.
“Our kicks weren’t going through but we didn’t let that stress us,” Cheika said.
“Otherwise, we would have changed Bernard at halftime as kicker and we know he’s a great goal kicker.
“These things happen in a game and you’ve got to hold your nerve.
“You can’t panic every time something doesn’t go right.
“You’ve got to have a criteria as to what you do decide.
“I spoke with the kicking coach, Chris Malone, and he had a very clear methodology around the decision making going forward and that criteria was met and Bernard stayed on as the kicker.”
Paul
Guest
Nor does your opinion mean you're correct. But the differance between Cheika's opinion and yours is that his is the one that matters.
PirateRugby
Guest
I should have thought Foley owed it to the team to get the other three as well? If you're a Foley fan then I reckon you'd be better off just playing down all the mistakes he made in that game rather than trying to make out he was the hero. There's no point arguing about who should play 10. Chieka made up his mind long before the Tests started. As soon as one of his nonpreferred players put s foot wrong they were shipped out. Some like Horwill actually played really well. Others like CLL and Luke Jones never got a look in. Imagine how bad Phipps must be to be dropped for Genia! The only player Chieka cannot drop (even though he's tried) is Pocock. But even after outplaying Hooper in every single game, Hooper keeps his spot. Wouldn't happen at the ABs... but what would they know.
vic rugby
Guest
Maybe cheika lacks your insight into the players and rugby twas.
RobC
Roar Guru
I think in the early days of RD and players like QC KB JOC, they were encouraged to play what's in front of them, to unshackle them from set play dogmatism ie not Barnes etc. It's led to outstanding results, but with costly side effects. Brain explosions, ten centric, etc I think with increasing normalisation and balance between set piece attacks and well organised phase play, the generals do not need to deliver miracle plays anymore. You can see it with QC under EM onward, Wallabies and KB under Check. Their decisions are better, measured. You can see the opposite in Reds 2014, where both Sanchez and QC kept going for small % passes to try to rescue their team. Foley Toomua is not from the same roots will not do 'stupid things'. Are deemed safer. Which is understandable, because they have been relatively so, as their record shows.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Doesn't make it correct or the ncorrect though.
RobC
Roar Guru
Haha. I hope he doesn't need to pack a scrum! :) Kick his goals, distribute accurately and timely, exploit tiring forwards, or wrong footed defenders. That is all. And... kicks his goals.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Hahaha!... I love it ... what about demarcation , if he has to do something that is not in his job description? lol
Scott
Guest
Yes the one person who really matters!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yes. It speaks volumes about how one person considers him.
vic rugby
Guest
Have faith in cheika the man closest to the the players. Cheika has chosen to go with foley and obviously has his reasons. The fact that cooper hasn't been used at all in the big games must mean something. This is not hate speech against cooper but his exclusion speaks volumes.
Taylorman
Guest
Fact is theyre both flakey and inconsistent, no point in trying to dress either of them up. If Cooper was any good hed be there by now. Hes been around for years. That only suggests one thing. Hes unreliable. And its not as if hes had a plethora of great 10s to beat. Toss a coin i say.
RobC
Roar Guru
His job description. As oppossedto his form
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
What's the expectation based on ?
Paul
Guest
Foley had a bad game, he wasn't the only one nor is he the only player in the Wallaby squad who has had a bad game. And guess what, he will in future have a bad game again, just as will Cooper, and even Pocock! The Wallaby Squad is doing exceptionally well considering where we were 12 months ago. Remember how we were going home after the pool rounds? Now we are in the semi final. People should temper their expectations and enjoy the achievements as they come, not expect perfection at the first slight sniff of it.
ethan
Guest
Agree he makes error and is inconsistent just like Cooper, they just have different strengths to their games, and Cheika happens to prefer Foley's strengths. Which is the ability to run straight and take it to the line, as opposed to Coopers ability to play with width, and Foley's more accurate goal-kicking. Both are good players, neither are perfect.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
This is what bothers me. Foley is a fine international 10. I don't see him as a weakness for the Wallabies. Personally I would have given Cooper his run into the RWC, and Foley would have had Cooper's run in (possibly changing exact games played a little) but I don't see him as an issue as 10. What I absolutely despise is the fictional narrative that is created which paints Foley as Mr Reliable and Error Free, which as a consequence implies Cooper is unreliable, flaky and error prone. Foley in fact tends to make more errors. That's really neither here nor there though, because of course they both make errors. They will handle the ball up to 50 times in a match. I can see Foley being hung out to dry at some point when he fails to live up to the fictional reputation of the flawless sharp shooter because that's just not who he is on the field and he has rarely played like that. He's a decent international goal kicker who has a great running game and plays well at 10. The fact that the comments already came out from a few places about Foley's accuracy deserting him. The fact was the shots got tougher, and like most decent kickers, he missed some tougher ones.
Fox Molder
Guest
There are others in the squad that wouldn't be given an armchair ride after every mistake they make. When they miss a sideline conversion the comment is 'he needs to make these to push for a spot in the team' When BF misses, 'the players are making it hard scoring wide out' If you read any of the non-partisan NH press and pundits they all describe Foley as flaky and unreliable. This is the very opposite of the general narrative as pushed by the Aust punditry. Yes he had one great game v England, but it is the exception to the rule. Inexplicable knock ons, passes to no-one, passes into touch, passes behind players, mediocre defence, periods of play when he doesn't turn up at first receiver for no apparent reason, goal kicking fluctuations, kicks being charged down. If Joubert had not awarded that dubious penalty to the Wallabies and BF kicked a very simple penalty his game would be talked about as one of the all time worst for an Aussie 10. (Second would be Bledisloe I in Sydney where BF was dragged after 48 minutes and was lucky that it wasn't after 15). Instead it is Iceman Foley Saves the Day!
James in NZ
Guest
If Cooper was responsible for the English demolition, I think that would've bought him the same slack from this game too surely. That was a masterclass display from Foley that will be talked about for years and at the end of the day they got past Scotland.
RobC
Roar Guru
it is what it is. Foley kicked the goal and won the game. I expect he will lift his game vs Pumas
riddler
Guest
i am a qlder through and through and not a fan of cooper's play.. it is not a state thing.. but agree with rebel.. it is very tiring the whole hyperbole.. super nervy game last night and very happy with the win and onwards and upwards.. bring on the argies..