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Bernard Foley on Test recall chances with Schmidt now Wallabies boss
Bernard Foley has shared his thoughts on whether he wants to play international rugby with Joe Schmidt now in charge of the Wallabies. The 35-year-old Kubota Spears fly-half had looked set to go to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France after starting three of Australia’s 2022 Autumn Nations Series matches in Europe under Dave Rennie.
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However, Rennie was soon unceremoniously sacked and replaced by Eddie Jones as Wallabies head coach and what ultimately unfolded at the final in France enraged Foley.
“It didn’t have to be like this!” he tweeted shortly after the heavy loss to Wales in Lyon left Australia on the cusp of the pool stage elimination that resulted in Jones quitting to take over Japan and create the vacancy that has since been filled by Schmidt, the former Ireland boss who assisted Ian Foster’s All Blacks at France 2023.
Foley is currently playing in his fifth Japan Rugby League One season with Kubota Spears, and he was part of a media briefing on Tuesday ahead of his club’s friendly game next weekend against the touring Super Rugby Chiefs.
He wasn’t keen to revisit his succinct comments about the recent World Cup. “Mate, I think everyone has moved on, right? I think it wasn’t something to really reflect on. Hopefully, the Australian public and the Australian rugby public and all the rugby players are looking forward now so, yeah, not much to say about that.”
It didn’t have to be like this !
— Bernard Foley ?? (@bernardfoley) September 24, 2023
The Test-level veteran was more open on his thoughts as to whether he would welcome an international recall with Schmidt now in charge of the Wallabies. “I suppose I haven’t really thought about it after last year, after the World Cup,” he explained.
“My focus has been on coming back and playing rugby here. I haven’t engaged or spoken to anyone at Australian rugby for six months. My focus is here, not having thought about that or going back and playing.
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“A new coach brings in a lot of new structures and they do things a new way, seeing as the previous way didn’t work. It will be interesting to see which direction they take. That discussion (about being involved) may happen but, at the moment, definitely not thinking about it.”
So does that suggest Foley’s Test carer is over? “It’s not but it would probably have to be a pretty significant change to go back and enjoy international rugby. I think just knowing the commitment and how inclusive that drive is to be there in those international set-ups, it would take a lot to go back in and play international rugby.
“I want the Wallabies to do well. Speaking to Dane (Coles), he speaks really highly of Joe and what he will be able to achieve. If there is some way I can help maybe I will but, as I say, I’m pretty settled at just playing club footy and spending my time up here.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
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