Waratahs captaincy Foley's perfect Ireland hangover cure
Australian five-eighth Bernard Foley says the Waratahs captaincy has helped him put aside the "empty" feeling he was left with after the Wallabies' heartbrteaking series loss to Ireland last week.
Foley learned via phone on Tuesday night that NSW coach Daryl Gibson wanted him to lead the Waratahs in place of an injured Michael Hooper. It was just the jolt he needed to snap a bad case of the blues.
"We had a couple of days to digest the last couple of weeks, which was pretty tough," Foley said.
"To be honest at the start of this week I've been pretty flat, so speaking with Daryl and the coaches [Tuesday] night, it's been an honour and something to re-focus me coming back in here to this environment.
"It's so exciting to be back together as a full squad and to have a game Friday night, it's [an] easy way to re-focus."
Foley said it was a relief to have something new to focus on after emptying the tank in the gold jersey.
"[There were] a lot of missed opportunities in terms of reviewing the game and the series," he said.
"We all felt a bit empty after the efforts and energy we put into that series. It was a cracking series, a phenomenal three games, but to come away empty-handed is pretty deflating.
"It took a while to overcome but now we're back in here, we've got a different jersey on and it's exciting we can come back and play footy again in three days."
The Waratahs face the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday night in a clash that will go a long way to determining the final pecking order of the Australian conference.
Both teams have gaping holes at the pointy ends of their rosters; Hooper is out of the NSW line up (hamstring), Folau was in doubt pending a judicial hearing, while in Melbourne the Rebels will be without captain Adam Coleman (thigh) and Will Genia (arm).
A Waratahs side without Hooper is a particularly foreign concept, but the Wallabies captain will be replaced by Will Miller at No.7, with Ned Hanigan returning to the starting line up at No.6.
"Since 2013 when he [Hooper] joined here, I don't think he's missed a game," Foley said.
"I think he's a little bit frustrated and already back in the gym. They gave him a couple of days off but he's back in the gym, he's not someone who enjoys having time off. I'm sure he'll find a way to get through these six to eight weeks or however long it is, and he'll still be a vital part of this squad."
Hooper was around when former NSW captain Dave Dennis channeled his injury heartbreak into something of benefit to the team in 2014. 'Denno's Kitchen' kept the troops fed and watered at the back end of their title-winning season and, while Foley said Hooper's heart was in the right place, the cooking was not a patch on his predecessor's.
"We had bacon and eggs this morning ... Denno's Kitchen had a bit more variety, we were a bit stock-standard this morning," Foley quipped. High on the team wish list? "Ripe avocados and a latte."
Waratahs: Israel Folau, Cam Clark, Curtis Rona, Kurtley Beale, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Bernard Foley (c), Nick Phipps, Michael Wells, Will Miller, Ned Hanigan, Rob Simmons, Jed Holloway, Sekope Kepu, Damien Fitzpatrick. Replacements: Tolu Latu, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Paddy Ryan, Tom Staniforth, Brad Wilkin, Jake Gordon, Bryce Hegarty, Alex Newsome.