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Just three months ago, Bernard Foley was sailing around Sydney Harbor with a new rugby concept on the water, with his international rugby career probably dead in the water.
But on Thursday, Foley will become the fourth Australian to wear the No.10 jersey for the Wallabies this year, with the 33-year-old making his first Test since 2019.
Foley’s recall was one of eight changes made by Dave Rennie in response to the heavy loss to the Springboks in Sydney.
All-rounder Jed Holloway starts at lock for the first time in his Test career in place of Rory Arnold, who is unavailable for personal reasons, alongside Matt Philip in the second row.
Rob Leota returns as the starting blindside flanker, while Pete Samu gets his first start of the 2022 campaign at openside and Rob Valetini is No.8.
Lalakai Foketi was brought in at inside to replace Hunter Paisami, who also suffered concussion against the Springboks, while Andrew Kellaway was preferred at full-back ahead of Reece Hodge, who drops to the bench.
David Porecki starts on the bench with Folau Fainga’a on the bench
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Not since 2007 has a Wallabies coach been forced to name four different No.10s in one year, but Noah Lolesio’s concussion picked up during the 24-8 loss to the world champions and Rennie called Foley.
Quade Cooper’s season-ending injury and James O’Connor’s form concerns saw Foley recalled ahead of the two Tests against the Springboks.
The playmaker, who played 71 Tests before traveling to Japan, will be hoping to repeat the feats of Cooper, who has won all six Tests since completing his own remarkable return from the international wilderness last year.
Like Cooper’s stunning return against the Springboks last year, Foley will step back into the playmaking position, despite not having played a minute of action since his Japanese side’s third-place playoff run in May.
While he longed for a return to the Wallabies earlier this year, he made public speeches during the 2-1 series loss to England on Australian shores.
At the same time, he spoke about Aqua Rugby – a new way of playing the game on water, with fellow Test stars Drew Mitchell and Ma’a Nonu also involved.
Foley was not required for the Rugby Championship but was overseas in the US before Cooper went down in Mendoza and O’Connor fought a week later in San Juan.
The wild trip in Argentina saw Rennie react to Foley and invite him into the camp.
Now he faces rugby’s biggest test as he tries to end the Wallabies’ two-decade Bledisloe Cup drought against the All Blacks.
Foley has won just two of 15 Tests against the All Blacks with the draw at the Olympic Stadium in his second game against the rugby nation in 2014.
Former Waratahs playmaker Foley’s old NSW teammate Foketi also comes in at inside to replace Hunter Paisami, who also picked up concussion against the Springboks.
Utility back Kellaway gets a recall to the starting side, with Hodge dropping back to the bench and providing cover ahead of the fit-again Kurtley Beale.
There are also changes in advance.
The tough night Fraser McReight suffered against Siya Kolisi, who dominated the breakdown, means a tweak to the back row.
Samu has previously been regarded as a super sub, a role he developed and starred in under Scott Robertson at the Crusaders, but his greater presence has seen him promoted to a starting spot ahead of McReight.
Rory Arnold’s departure has opened up a spot in the second row, while Porecki’s accuracy at the set-piece sees him return to the front row.
Taniela Tupou is unavailable after the massive prop tweaked his calf in the warm-up during the Springboks loss.
Although the injury is not considered a significant injury, Wallabies management are taking a cautious approach to his return after he also injured his second calf at the back end of this year’s Super Rugby campaign. This means that Pone Fa’amausili comes to the bench.
The Wallabies are preparing for the task ahead against the All Blacks.
Although their thrashing 53-3 win over Argentina went some way to easing concerns following their shock loss a week earlier, Ian Foster’s All Blacks are far from the finished product.
The victory masked some of the concerns that remain with the three-time world champions, who have won just three of seven Tests to start 2022.
They won’t be helped by the absence of Ardie Savea, but the return of Brodie Retallick via the bench against Los Pumas will help considerably.
Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete said winning the physical battle, an area they were smashed against the Springboks in Sydney, represents the key to taking a 1-0 lead across the ditch into their return leg a week later.
“It’s just more brutality,” Koroibete said when asked about the key to beating New Zealand.
“Just competition on the shit. Everyone across the park needs to bring the physicality, dominate the tackle and test their ruck.
“Just bring the aggression on Thursday. That’s what they don’t want. That’s what the South Africans and Argentinian (Argentina) did to them when they won. That’s what we have to bring.”
Australia (15-1): Andrew Kellaway; Tom Wright, Len Ikitau, Lalakai Foketi, Marika Koroibete; Bernard Foley, Jake Gordon; Rob Valentine, Pete Samu, Rob Leota; Matt Philip, Jed Holloway; Allan Alaalatoa, David Porecki, James Slipper (capt) Replacements: Folau Fainga’a, Scott Sio, Pone Faamausili, Darcy Swain, Fraser McReight, Nic White, Reece Hodge, Jordan Petaia
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