Bernard Foley proves to be divisive figure right to the end
The New South Wales Waratahs confirmed yesterday that fly-half Bernard Foley will not be returning to the team, or Super Rugby, next season, as he will move to Japan’s Kubota Spears after the World Cup.
With 67 Wallaby caps to his name, that does not necessarily end his chances of playing international rugby (as the Giteau Law states that overseas players must have over 60 caps), but it does add to a concerning number of players that are leaving Australian shores.
As of next season, fly-halves Foley, Quade Cooper and Christian Leali’ifano will all be playing in Japan, in addition to a plethora of other players.
However, Waratahs and Australia fans are not too upset with this announcement regarding Foley. There has been a fairly muted response on social media to this, but those fans that have given their opinion have not been entirely impressed with Foley over the past few years.
Foley has always been reliable for whomever he plays for, but not necessarily the most flashy. His conservative style has perhaps meant he has not been able to completely win over the Australian public, and some fans feel that his departure can allow the next generation to flourish.
There will be an alarming lack of depth to Australian rugby next year, but that has been the case for a long time, and the Wallabies have always managed due to the eternal flow of young players coming through.
Suffice to say that many fans are not as concerned about this exodus as some think.
This is what has been said:
https://twitter.com/RShortball/status/1149508281318043648?s=20
https://twitter.com/oladalot/status/1149444955888394240?s=20
https://twitter.com/KuzivaChikwani/status/1149446735229530114?s=20
https://twitter.com/TomGalbraith2/status/1149461430871085056?s=20
Whatever the opposite of crisis is, that’s what this is.
— Mick McGee (@namtrak) July 11, 2019
However, it has not all been negative from fans, as many recall some of the better days the 29-year-old had in a blue or gold jersey. He steered the Waratahs to the Super Rugby title in 2014, and a year later the Wallabies to the World Cup final.
The way in which Foley pulled England apart in the group stages in 2015 may well be the defining moment of his career to date, as he scored 28 points in his side’s 33-13 win at Twickenham. Some fans, however, feel his form since then has slumped.
https://twitter.com/theseedypencil/status/1149437494934433792?s=20
https://twitter.com/BrenMallard/status/1149435094966235136?s=20
Sad that @bernardfoley is leaving the @NSWWaratahs -someone reminded me of happy times:
"his slick inside pass to KB in the 2015 RWC at Twickenham! He scored off the return pass, and I can still hear the British commentator saying "this is now a sporting crisis for England."
— Nicky Williamson ????? (@NickyWill100) July 12, 2019
Throughout his time with the Waratahs and the Wallabies, Foley has been one that has split opinion, so it is only understandable that his departure evokes the same reaction.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
7 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
7 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments