Sydney University Football Club five-eighth Bernard Foley made his Wallaby debut in Australia’s 54-17 win over Argentina in their Rugby Championship match at Rosario on October 13.
And he did it in style, scoring a try in the final minute of play after replacing Quade Cooper in the 66th minute.
The 24-year-old former Sydney University Sports Scholarship holder became SUFC’s 94th capped Wallaby since second-rower Hyam Marks debuted against Great Britain in Sydney in 1899.
Foley has had a memorable 2013, securing a regular place in the NSW Waratahs and playing a big role in Sydney University’s Shute Shield premiership win in the club’s 150th year. He is now in line to play against the All Blacks in the dead Bledisloe Cup match at Dunedin this Saturday.
A product of St Aloysius College, Foley played Colts for SUFC in 2008 and 2009 when he guided the Firsts to a gripping 32-18 win over Southern Districts in the season decider at Concord Oval. He scored two tries and kicked three conversions and two penalty goals for a 22-point haul in windy conditions
He made his grade debut for SUFC the following season and, as a five-eighth-cum-fullback, became a regular member and captain of the Australian Sevens side on the world circuit.
He led the side to a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens in Delhi and in 2011 was named Australian sevens player of the year.
Foley also made his Waratahs debut in 2011 and wore the sky blue a number of times in 2012, the same year he almost made his Wallabies debut in the second Test against Wales.
He was the plan B option on standby when Sydney University team-mate Berrick Barnes raced back to Sydney from Melbourne on Test eve to be at the birth of his first child Archie.
With Mike Harris set to move into the starting side, Foley studied up on all the plays and prepared as if he was going to play right up until a few hours before the match.
“They said they’d booked him (Barnes) a flight at 4pm,” Foley said. “If he is on it, he’s on it and if he’s not, you’re on the bench.
“I was probably the only bloke in Australia praying the labour went on for a bit longer.”
As history records, Foley didn’t get to don the gold jersey; Barnes arrived back in Melbourne two hours before kickoff and went out to play the game of his life.
When he was named on the bench again for the Test against Argentina a week ago Foley was expecting to cover for the outside backs.
“It’s a very proud moment,” he said. “At that stage (last year) I don’t think I had played any games at fly-half, so to have a whole season under my belt and play every (Super Rugby) game (in 2013) gave me a lot of confidence. It has also allowed me to develop as a player, I think.”
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie had no worries naming Foley on bench.
“It doesn’t matter who you talk to, he has impressed not only coaches but team-mates with his footballing ability and just in the way he conducts himself,” he said.
“He has energy and brings good talk and a good football brain. You look at this game that’s what we’re going to need.”
McKenzie said Foley was strategically used in the last quarter of the match to take advantage of his skill at slicing open tired defences. And that’s exactly how it happened when he scored on debut.
