Selfish. That’s the only way to describe Israel Folau’s costly decision to go for glory and try his luck running at a trio of Pumas as the match hung in the balance.
Folau – one of the few Wallabies who acquitted themselves in arguably the biggest snoozefest Rugby Championship fans have ever been subjected to – had all the space and time to draw his man and put the unmarked Bernard Foley over in the corner.
Newsflash for those who missed Australia’s loss against Los Pumas on Saturday night: our beloved Izzy opted out of a try assist that would’ve won his side the game.
Here’s what happens if Izzy dishes it on to his Tahs teammate – Foley dives over untouched, the meagre crowd at Cbus Stadium breathes a sigh of relief, and Michael Cheika gets to sweep aside his side’s inadequacies under the rug of back-to-back wins.
Instead, the Wallabies have found themselves on the wrong end of a 24-19 result that torpedoes their confidence less than 12 months out from the World Cup.
We could get into the nuts and bolts of how a late try wouldn’t prove anything and how that game still shows the Wallabies are well off the benchmark set by current New Zealand and Ireland.
But let’s get back to that pass (or lackthereof) because, like it or not, it’s the kind of shortcoming that’s starting to define this Wallabies side – and Folau in particular.
AP Photo/Rick Rycroft
No one will ever doubt Folau’s capabilities, nor his status as one of the country’s most prolific try scorers, but where is the rugby nous?
It is inconceivable that Izzy wasn’t aware of Foley’s presence off his right shoulder and only the most blinkered Pumas supporter would say Australia wouldn’t have snatched the game away from them had the custodian just passed it.
The sight of Foley grabbing his hair in disbelief after Tomas Lavanini dislodging the ball from Izzy’s grasp tells the story – he’s got the face of someone who’s just been cut off at a busy servo despite waiting 40 minutes for his turn at the pump.
“All you had to do was pass, you selfish idiot,” screams Foley over and over in his brain.
“Why wouldn’t you just pass?”
Okay, you could probably also point to eight different moments throughout the game that proved costly, but the simple fact that Folau did not give that final pass speaks volumes.
Now, I’ve got no insight into whether Izzy grinds gears at training, so I’m not going to slap him with an ‘irritating’ label. But ‘stupid’ and ‘ridiculous’ fit nicely into his game-changing decision not to pass the ball.
It was stupid for him not to pass to his unmarked teammate and, as mentioned earlier, the suggestion that he didn’t see Foley is ridiculous, so that’s two from three in my book.
I would have no hesitation in saying that Izzy honestly thought he could score from the position he was in, but that’s the heart of the issue.
In that moment, that pivotal moment, it looked like the need to score a try clouded Izzy’s judgement and prevented his side from clinching a win.
He was in a position to put the team ahead of himself by passing it on and failed to do so.
That decision hurts more than an embarrassing loss and even more than the sight of our players embroiled with sauced-up fans.
That decision says that there are individuals within our national team that still put themselves ahead of the team.
piru
Roar Rookie
What is his motivation to work on this? If he's fit he will play, he will be declared the best and greatest every match, there's clearly no consequence for not improving.
piru
Roar Rookie
Don't think I've ever seen him drop a pass that wasn't thrown
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I would love to see the player stats that demonstrate that Folau is overrated Lano. Genuinely, I would. I'm not a disciple; I see his weaknesses but he brings an x-factor sadly lacking without our two first choice 13's. I see the selfishness of his non-pass as part of his makeup. He gets the ball and he goes for it. It means he makes mistakes like failing to pass to a better placed support but he scores tries others would not. I'll accept the occasional brain-fart for what he brings most of the time
Die hard
Roar Rookie
Yes as well
Keilidh
Roar Rookie
Love it!
Pickett
Guest
I tend to agree with this. I'm a big fan of Folau as a player and bloke, but he can be a hog. He has hogged it in quite a few tests when he should have passed, like Fionn has said. He obviously loves scoring tries as seen by his reactions, but please Israel...No I in Team. Still love him though...
Colvin Brown
Roar Guru
Lack of team culture
MW7
Roar Rookie
Folau is in credit for his contributions. However he has form for not passing and blowing relatively straight forward try scoring opportunities. Or making the easy difficult by going for it himself. Fans have the right to be critical of those moments.
Lano
Roar Guru
I don't disagree - it was a highlight - it was thrilling and exhilarating - but you're off point - the original threat to which I commented implied that because he had scored 30-odd tries, he must be one of the best. He isn't. A number of his tries have been absolute gimmies....
KFar
Guest
It's like being back at school, give to the biggest and fastest kid.
Lano
Roar Guru
You've misread my post. I didn't say he doesn't score tries. I didn't say he wasn't hard to tackle. Take your own advice: stick to the facts. If you want to debate his overall performance happy to do that too. But do some empirical research first. Leave your perception and emotions at the door. The overall player stats clearly demonstrate Folau is overrated and undeserving of the bromance and adoration, when compared to his peers in Test and SR. And that's a fact, Sgt.
Banjo Kelly
Roar Rookie
Anyone who has played the game will know that these actions happen very quickly and are almost reflexes not decisions. Just as Israel failed to pass in a split second reflex/decision, so to his first try had a series of reflex decisions to step, palm and goose step. He is a not a ball player but a finisher ie a right winger not a ball playing fullback ala Ben Smith,Israel Dagg, McKenzie
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yep agree there Gloria, the detail gets so broken down that it draws out some ridiculous theories through poor assumption and over analysis, for no gain at all. The guy didnt pass, he should have. Thats it. What else is there? Planty obviously.
taylorman
Roar Guru
I just think its a typical overeaction by fans. Remember how Oz got through against Scotland in the World cup quarter final? The final decision by Jou ert, judged incorrect by World rugby was totally dismissed by Wallaby fans who insisted that a game cant be summed up by the kast moments of a game, that there were so many things that happened beforehand, so many decisions made that lead to the result. Yet I knew these days would come. Between Foleys poor final pass against Ireland and Folaus final non pass suddenly the last moments are ‘everything’ and nothing before it seemed to matter. All this is is another overeaction to an unfavourable result where Wallaby fans are trying to find some sort of reasoning for it all. Many fans have a disconnect with the reality that is the Wallabies.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Wrong Lano. He's hard to tackle and he scores tries. These be the facts. Other aspects of his play have been widely discussed on these forums
John
Guest
“Shut up and dribble.” Who knew Laura Ingraham was a Roar enthusiast.
John
Guest
I read it Lano and many of your posts re Folau prior. Disagree as you will but for mine the one highlight from Saturday’s game for Aussie kids looking for a hero came from the same bloke whose pedestal is supposedly made of sand.
Jockstrap
Roar Rookie
I’ve watched this year in year out with wallabies, club and Tahs. It is the norm. He is not a 5/8 a winger, he has shown he is nobfullback in the spring tour. Give me Filey any day or puTiimua or Maddocks at 5/8. How can Hodge or Toomua play outside the ???? crab.
Lano
Roar Guru
You're suffering from cognitive dissonance buddy. Read my post again. I said he scores very few spectacular tries, and your post amplifies the point.... Have another go?
John
Guest
Missed the biopic. Did the coach mention late footwork, inability to break the line, offloading or play making?