Bernard Foley re-signs with Rugby Australia until 2019

Cool, Mark, I'll keep an eye on him!

I wouldn’t be surprised if the youngster from Manly, Tom Wright, gets a crack at the 12 jersey.

Riddler, you write “i never intentionally play the man on here, if i have i apologise.. sometimes though i get very frustrated with people i never intentionally play the man on here, if i have i apologise.. sometimes though i get very frustrated with people having a go at certain players who are giving their all.. and sometimes when it gets so continual and over the top, i react.. and if i over reacted.. i apologise.. a go at certain players who are giving their all.. and sometimes when it gets so continual and over the top, i react.. and if i over reacted.. i apologise..” Why thank you Riddler. It was late, short (relative to the volume of the ad hominem attacks) and ironically offered only after Fionn’s patient challenge. With regard to “get very frustrated with people having a go at certain players who are giving their all” it seems that your frustration is not universal. Cooper, for instance has been ‘giving his all’ in a much tighter context than others, especially Foley. You have attacked me for merely prefering Cooper, accusing me of Foley hate or the like, despite my regular praise of Foley (whilst noting his limitations). I wish the Roar would publish a Logic and Argument essay (with rugby discussion scenarios) Some ‘argument’ that goes on here is not actually argument, certainly not reasonable argument. - Two or more valid premises leading to a conclusion. - Attacking the Source flaw - Ad hominem attacks - Prejudice and assumption posing as premise - Opinion posing as fact - The ‘I was a better player than you, so I am a superior rugby intellect as well’ line of reasoning - Or similar ‘I was born in a country whose team regularly beats yours at rugby, so my opinion counts more’ Are just a few that come to mind. Maybe we could all do a Logic and Argument Induction before gaining site membership?! Now I am going over the top. And maybe i find prejudice and poor argument entertaining, especially when it is offered in support of something I disagree with (like a Cooper dropping. And there is plenty of illogical comment raining when that hoary chestnut makes an appearance). Riddler, you strike me as a half decent fella whose heart is in the right place. I believe that Cooper’s reputation deserves defence at least as much as Foley’s - for the exact same reasons. They are both doing their best to succeed for their team(s). Note to editors : creating a forum for a mob of passionate rugby fans to discuss things fairly and reasonably is a bit like walking into a bar and telling everyone to be sensible and sober. Nevertheless.....

Riddler, I agree with you disagreeing with "Foley only picking the kicks in front" comment from EIE. He only gives up on long range shots, which is good that he knows his limitations there, otherwise he's quite accurate. But, I can understand where EIE is coming from, for years QC as been pilloried for his poor tackling style & risky play. Yet, when Foley &/or Beale misses tackles that lead to tries or throw wayward passes that are intercepted leading to a Boks try in the first minute of a game, all is forgiven. If QC had done that he would've been dropped next game & the lynch mob would've been baying for his head. As MF says about Foley "he’s been given a rails ride by Cheika with plenty of opportunities." I know I'm over the double standards set & I know who I would prefer to see play the game, even if they do mess up now & then. Least it's entertaining.

I think the point is that it isn't necessarily Foley's fault that the win loss ratio for the games he has played is lower than the win loss record of previous versions of the Aussie side. Cooper experienced a few losses v Ireland too including the biggest head to head game of the last 10 years in the 2011 RWC pool match. Cooper was fairly quiet that day but I don't recall him getting the blame for the loss. If I recall correctly Quade threw a few fairly speculative intercept passes and was weak enough overall. I believe that Coopers win/loss record v Ireland is similar to Foley's and it is identical in games v NZ, both have 2 wins. Cooper has also lost a games v Wales in 2008 whereas Foley has never lost v Wales. The only side Cooper has a vastly better record against is England however, the England side these days is way better than the sides that Cooper faced.

I tend to agree that Foleys game may not be in high demand in either France or England. Both leagues place a premium on tactical kicking which is clearly a weakness in Foleys game. Foleys running game, while competent in some areas is deficient in others. He requires a second playmaker for the back line to function and tends to drift in and out of the first receive role, never really taking ownership. He's had a few good games but he's also been given a rails ride by Cheika with plenty of opportunities. His mediocre contributions are part of the general malaise afflicting the Wallabies. He is not alone! Japan might be his best bet. Good luck to him.

Not sure if that’s sarcasm or you’re genuinely excited that it’s only one year. In each case, I agree.

No worries, mate, things get a bit heated on here occasionally, but at least it shows that everyone is passionate about the sport!

Nope, I'm a big fan. Went out to watch I was backing Brisbane City.

Imagine having those 4 blokes in the same team Wow weeeee, alas Cheika wants Foley AAC Folau and Phipps in his.

You are not a Quade fan, as Quade fans would not say " Would love to know what coach Heenan thought of coaching Quade, and if he is coachable [ if that is a word]" If Quade didn't score a great individual try the conversions would be irrelevant. The blokes kept dropping the ball and missing tackles .You must not have watched the whole game. Kicking for the corners was pointless as the Viking lineout was dominant and cities was hopeless. I sense you are a Kiwi or a Foley lover.

You constantly keep forgetting that with Foley at 10 we have been well beaten by England 6 times Ireland 3 times Scotland 2 times. And numorous losses to South Africa. Forget NZ buddy. No other 10 plays horrendous against so many nations. Quade Cooper has a superior record than Foley against every country. Quade 70 test Foley 64 tests

best comment of the day

those two tackles i admit i missed as we had just found a bar and was amazed it was on in 2 horse beachside town.. i saw properly from 15mins.. i do remember him making some very good tackles on the big backrowers.. going low, as he always does, bringing them down. i believe someone, much smarter than me clearly, highlighted what happened with those tries re hooper or someone leaving a bigger than expected/needed gap.. not justifying missed tackles.. just adding colour to the fact.. so to speak.. i never intentionally play the man on here, if i have i apologise.. sometimes though i get very frustrated with people having a go at certain players who are giving their all.. and sometimes when it gets so continual and over the top, i react.. and if i over reacted.. i apologise..

he will earn well. he will suit both the uk and france.. and he will play well and have a great time in europe in for a couple of years i am sure..

twas.. where am i derogatory about cooper? he has amazing skills.. but lacks other aspects.. which many have highlighted better than i can.. everyone's comments here are personal no? they are opinions.. you used to be superb trolling fact after fact to suit your particular narrative at the time.. as for picking the kicks in front.. that is just more trash you roll out.. and for injecting himself when someone else has made the play.. also not true.. your dislike for foley is way over mine for cooper.. unlike you i can say when cooper does well and when foley does badly.. you just seem to sprout up when you think foley has done poorly..

I have no agenda against Foley beyond not rating him as an international 10. The two tackles he missed that both led directly to Argentinean tries last week were just what I've come to expect from him. I'm not going to criticise him personally because he seems a top bloke, but that doesn't mean I'm going to rate him as a 10. But, as I said the other day, I'm really beyond minding. I think the the Wallabies are getting the results that they deserve currently and looking forward to a hopefully new age after the rwc with a better coach and squad. I don't see where I ever played you as a man, riddler, except for calling you out for your personal comments last week that you directed towards me and other posters based partly on the highly arrogant idea that you thinking you played at a higher level than us (you probably did) automatically means that you know more.

sorry for the no gaps.. can't get this to work on the phone at all.. it is an eyesore i know.. apologies..

foley is better at super level and intl level than cll.. in my opinion. that game from memory was a bad one for the tahs and the brumbies especially, their pack, did very well.. it was the brumbies best game of the season no? from my memory, cll didn't stand out, solid.. could be wrong.. as for my agenda what is it? defending a guy who gets judged unfairly and attacked without justification.. then so be it.. that is my agenda.. what is your agenda against him? on both this site and gagr you constantly talk his abilities down. and those of australia.. lowering yourself to the levels of following over s.a over australia.. as for me playing the man.. what have u just done.. my playing history is what it is.. very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to play with some of the best that have ever been... i was a very, very average player who loved the game and got to travel to many places because of it and open doors.. for that i am eternally grateful.. hence me still following it like i do.. watching local club games here when i can and if i had any ability and a bit more free time then would coach some juniors as i think it is the best sport in the world.. i have thought the since i was kid in primary school staying up to watch the grand slammers.. what i don't like is people who have countless hours to post comment after comment with their opinion and pass them off as fact.. making themselves out to be some sort of expert.. and on top of that those people, ie like yourself, who then say they will be following s.a and probably won't even watch the games nor care if we win.. those people, ie you, i wouldn't like to have been in a team with.. team players vs individuals.. once again my opinion.. foley is not the greatest flyhalf we have produced but he gives it his all every game.. never bought the game into disrepute or put himself before the game or the team.. you might not respect that.. but i do and hence i defend him when he cops unfair abuse on here and highlight when he plays well.. and never, ever would i support or follow another team over oz, no matter how bad we play or are playing.. i love the haka.. i love to belt out god save the queen and flower of scotland etc when at those games.. i love everything about the game.. but oz rugby will always be first for me.. no matter where i am or whoever is playing for us.. even if i don't agree with the selections or tactics..

Foley will be able to get a big money gig in France or Japan, maybe the UK, based purely on how high all salaries are getting up there.