NSW Waratahs goalkicker Bernard Foley has received a strong endorsement after a couple of costly misses in Saturday night’s heartbreaking Super Rugby loss to the Crusaders.
Wallabies five-eighth Foley missed a late potential game-winning 40-metre penalty goal attempt and and an easier chance earlier in the half, as the Waratahs lost by two points after leading by 29.
NSW also suffered physical blows from that game with four forwards battling to be fit for Saturday’s home clash with the Highlanders.
Wallabies lock-flanker Ned Hanigan will miss at least two games with a medial ligament knee injury, lock Rob Simmons has a shoulder issue and hooker Damien Fitzgerald and flanker Will Miller each copped a head knock.
Waratahs attack coach Chris Malone is hopeful all bar Hanigan could be fit to face the Highlanders, although the extent of Simmons’ issue is not yet known.
Malone came out strongly in support of Foley when asked if he had any concerns about the pivot’s goalkicking or if they might occasionally consider using centre Kurtley Beale.
Foley had the competition’s second-best success rate of 87 per cent prior to last weekend.
“I was a goalkicker myself and I know you’ll sometimes have an off day,” Malone said.
“Obviously there were a couple of big kicks in that game that potentially could have won the game for us and Bernard himself was really disappointed in that.
“But we’ll go away and work on the things that he didn’t do quite so well on a couple of those kicks on the weekend.
“He’s been kicking really well, so any time there’s an option for us to take a shot at goal, it will definitely be Bernard Foley.
“I’ve been his kicking coach now for a number of years and he’s shown us in big games that he’s got the mental capacity to nail them.”
The Waratahs have retained the Australian conference lead going into the third of a brutal block of four successive games against New Zealand sides, but have the Melbourne Rebels breathing down their necks just one point behind.
Malone said the Tahs weren’t shying way from the fact they had lost three straight games and there was “good steel in the team”.
“A lot of the commentary afterwards was about us letting such a good lead slip, but one thing I would say was in order to put ourselves in that position, there was some of the best footy that we played in a long time,” he said.
Hello
Guest
1 4 6 7 9 10 15 21 are the Waratahs weaklinks.
Drongo
Guest
Foley seems to crash under any pressure. Pity, that.
Jerry
Guest
Well that's all well and good, but I don't need to invent evidence to make my argument, so I think I'm still head of you....
Cynical Play
Guest
#lookawayOkeefe
Cynical Play
Guest
Moody elbows the throat of a smaller man (doubt he would have tried it on Kepu). Red card. Penalty Tahs. momentum changes. Game changes. Except... oops, the NZ ref #lookawayOkeefe blocked it out But no you concentrate on that other play. Suits your rhetoric.
Cynical Play
Guest
Strong enough to get the job done. Very strong bench. Lineout the question. Scrum no worse.
Cynical Play
Guest
My point is he is a thug who has form and the evidence is he has. You say he isn't and have no argument other than to fluff the detail. Poor Jerry, even for you.
Jerry
Guest
So those extra words just magically appeared? Btw, that article is only 3 sentences, you could have actually read beyond the headline. "A Citing Commissioner Warning may be issued by the SANZAAR Citing Commissioner for foul play incidents that are very close to, but do not meet the Red Card threshold for citings"
Jerry
Guest
Read the article, genius.
Cynical Play
Guest
https://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/joe-moody-cited/473019 cited in 2016 I accept your apology jerry I said he was cited in 2016 then continued with the exact Wiki quote Amateur hour Piru. Quick to jump on don't you think
Cynical Play
Guest
https://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/joe-moody-cited/473019 I accept your apology
Jerry
Guest
CP was on a mission to rewrite Wikipedia.
Harry Jones
Expert
He believes in miracles.
Markus
Guest
Top Gun Board of Inquiry confirmed as the NSWRU.
Jerry
Guest
So, the headline about the ARU invoking the 'Shields Clause' is silly, cause 1) It's not something they could invoke, it's the union where the player is currently playing that could use such a clause; and 2) Samu couldn't be under such a clause as he's not NZ eligible.
John R
Roar Guru
Latu will help compete at the breakdown as well, which won't go astray either hey.
Ed
Guest
He did not go on tour as they thought he would not recover in time.
piru
Roar Rookie
Or Folau. Folau can hit them from 50m out! Little known fact but a fact nonetheless When has he ever done this? Can only recall one attempt and it was a miss
Fionn
Guest
Brilliant, Markus :)
piru
Roar Rookie
Iceman caused Goose's death and this was never investigated Why is this?