As the years rolled on and Bernard Foley began to accept he was unlikely to play for the Wallabies again, deep down the playmaker yearned for one more crack at the All Blacks.
In 15 frustrating Tests against New Zealand, from 2013 to 2018, Foley played in two victorious Australian teams. There was the 27-19 win in 2015 at Sydney Olympic Park, as well as a Bledisloe Cup dead rubber in Brisbane two years later, remembered for Reece Hodge’s long-range penalty at the death.
The pain of a World Cup final defeat in 2015 against the Kiwis also lingered long after a Dan Carter drop goal and Beauden Barrett try sealed the 34-17 result at Twickenham.
Having never sipped a drop of alcohol from the Bledisloe Cup, like so many of his peers in the post-2002 era, Foley has come from the clouds for a Test recall even he didn’t expect.
Three years since his last Test, Foley will run out at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Thursday night in the gold No.10 jersey with revenge partly on his mind.
What a story it would be if Foley orchestrated a Wallabies win, against the odds, to give Australia a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
Bernard Foley is set to play his first Test since 2019.Credit:Andrew Phan/Wallabies Media
“You always wish you can get one more crack, one more taste,” Foley said on Tuesday. “So for me to be back here, it’s just making the most of it.
“It means so much. Not being a part of it for a couple of years, being a spectator overseas, you get to reflect on how much the jersey means to you and how you really appreciate it. I’m really excited.
“You definitely look at [Bledisloe] games and we had some great battles. We had a great couple of wins and a few narrow losses that really sting. That’s just part of the journey and enjoying the journey for what it was.”
There are similarities between Foley’s return from Japanese rugby and Quade Cooper’s surprise ascension into the Wallabies team last year.
Bernard Foley at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.Credit:Rugby AU Media/Stu Walmsley
Both were out of the picture but found themselves tasked with taking on Test opponents in the driver’s seat at No.10.
Coach Dave Rennie’s preference was to stick with young five-eighth Noah Lolesio after a loss to the Springboks earlier this month. Despite a poor record against the All Blacks, Lolesio is the one Rennie wants to see flourish.
However, Lolesio and centre Hunter Paisami have been ruled out of the blockbuster match in Melbourne due to concussion.
“We would have liked to stick with [Lolesio] and get a bit of continuity, but it’s fantastic to have Bernard as an option,” Rennie said. “He’s done really well and he’s got his head around things quickly. He was excellent last week … he’s fit in really well. His experience, his voice … it’s been a good transition and he’s ready to go.”
Consider this: Foley is the second most experienced Wallaby in the starting side (71 Tests), behind skipper James Slipper (121). Take out Marika Koroibete (49 matches) and Foley has more Tests to his name than the rest of the back line combined.
After three seasons in Japan since the last World Cup, the big question is whether Foley has still got it at Test level.
The Wallabies say Foley’s fitness is fine, so it will be fascinating to see how quickly he slots into a back line that is rather raw, as far as the number of games they have played together goes.
Foley will, however, benefit from the crisp service of his former Waratahs teammate Jake Gordon, who has been promoted to start at halfback.
As well as a “few more grey hairs”, the 33-year-old feels he’s a different player to the one that left the Wallabies set-up in 2019 out of favour under Michael Cheika.
“[I feel] a lot more well-rounded in terms of seeing the opportunity and embracing it,” Foley said. “Last time there was a lot going on. [I was] trying to please a lot of people and doing it for some of the right reasons, some for the wrong.
“This is game one. I’m not looking any further than Thursday night and just try and make the most of it.”
News of Foley’s inclusion emerged on Tuesday morning before All Blacks coach Ian Foster addressed the media. He thinks Foley’s inclusion could help the Wallabies.
Maybe that’s just what he wanted Australia to hear.
“[Foley is a] very astute, very experienced Test-match player and he’s played with their players for a long, long time,” Foster said. “I don’t see it as being a major change for them. He will probably bring a bit of enthusiasm and love the chance to put his hand up to get back into that group.
“I certainly don’t think they’ll lose anything and they may even gain a little bit.”
