Foley’s back to give Gatland a kicking
BERNARD Foley is Wales’ arch nemesis and with the playmaker more motivated than ever after a spell on the sidelines, it spells trouble for Warren Gatland’s side.
Fly-half Foley returns to the Wallaby team for this morning’s crunch meeting with Wales in Tokyo after falling out of favour at Test level.
Christian Lealiifano has been preferred by Michael Cheika in recent times and Foley has played in only two games so far in 2019, but with Wales lying in wait he is now back.
Foley always tends to deliver against the men in red. “A break allows you to see things a bit differently and add different dimensions to your game compared to when you are playing week-to-week,” Foley told TRP.
“When there’s competition you have to review your own game and the silver lining of not playing is that you get extra sessions to work on it.
“Now I’ve got my chance it’s about making the most of the opportunity. There is a lot of excitement and a lot of anticipation about this game, but it doesn’t really change my role or job.
“I am excited to be back in amongst it and out of the suit, but it’s just about going out there and performing on the night.
“The Welsh have really built their game on defence. They put a lot of numbers in the line. We want to hold the ball and be smart with it.”
Foley has won five of his six games against Wales and tasted defeat for the first time last November. In 2014 he contributed an 18point haul in Cardiff.
Australia beat Wales at the 2015 World Cup with Foley kicking five penalties. Back in the Welsh capital a year later he added 12 points in another Wallaby success.
There is a familiar theme whenever he faces Wales.
“I have been preparing like I am going to play every week up until now. I was just excited to be called upon this week,” Foley added. “We don’t want to be here to train, but the thing about a World Cup is it’s a squad effort. These are such tough tournaments to win that it comes down to every player.”
Foley’s ability to play flat to the gainline and bring Australia’s powerful and dangerous strike runners into play means he will always be a danger to his opposition.
He is a nerveless performer on the big stage and his place kicking rarely lets him down. The fact Cheika has delivered him into a crunch World Cup tie says everything about how highly he rates him.
“A lot of the northern hemisphere squads have definitely improved their consistency and depth,” Foley said.
“They have all got worldclass players littered across them and now their domestic competitions are also at an extremely high level. They are playing a lot of good football all year round and that can only be a benefit for those squads and those guys at a World Cup.”
Since 2008 there have been 14 meetings between Wales and Australia with the Wallabies winning 13. In that time the two teams have been separated by an average of only seven points on each occasion. A similarly tight encounter is expected in Tokyo and Foley could be the difference.
“We all know how important goal kicking is in World Cups,” he said. “Pretty much every World Cup ever played has been decided by either a drop goal, a penalty goal, or a conversion.
“I enjoy goal kicking, I always have. It’s the role you get to play for the team so when you are asked upon you deliver in those big moments.”