Former Wallabies playmaker Bernard Foley is backing young fly-half Noah Lolesio to remain calm under pressure, adamant he can lead Australia to victory in the series decider at the SCG on Saturday night.
Thrown into the deep end just 20 minutes before the opening Test in Perth after Quade Cooper was a late scratching, Lolesio took over the playmaker role with aplomb, playing an understated game that grew in confidence as the game progressed. While he kept his wits about him in game two, he failed to see the same success behind a forward pack that struggled to find dominance.
With the Ella-Mobbs trophy on the line in Sydney, and a first series win over England at home in over a decade, the 22-year-old has been handed the reins again with Foley believing playing simple rugby and getting the basics right is what Lolesio should be focusing on.
“I think you have to back him as a young guy,” Foley told ESPN at the Aqua Rugby launch in Sydney. “He came in and did really well in that first Test off very limited preparation and at last minute and played really well.
“It was definitely tough for him in that second game when there wasn’t that much go forward, wasn’t that dominance in the forward pack, the physicality in the collision, so that’s where he will learn how to manage games, to be able to wrestle back that physicality and put these players and put the team in the right areas to get that momentum, and that physicality dominance back.
“It’s really just doing your fundamentals well. Being really good at the basics and just control the team. It’s not like he has to have the ball in his hands at all times, but just with his level of control and composure, put the team in the right areas, kick well, pass well, defend well and it’ll go a long way into putting the team in a good position to win the game.
“That’s all you all you need to do in these big games, is do your fundamentals consistently really well over and over again, and I think the Wallabies will have learned that and be really up for that physicality.
“It’s great learning for him, what a great arena to be able to master his craft, and I’m sure he’s gonna be a lot better for those two experiences and hopefully can really unlock his potential and be the driver for this weekend and their success in this team.”
Wearing the No.10 jersey for England again this week, Marcus Smith will partner with attacking mastermind Owen Farrell in what is a developing 10-12 combination for the tourists. With only nine caps to his name, Smith played a crucial role in England’s dominance last week as his kicking game came to the fore, and Foley knows the Wallabies will have to contain him if they’re to win the battle.
“He plays with a lot flair and I think how England have designed their team they’ve got the two playmakers with [Owen] Farrell to run them, be a bit more direct and set up which just allows Marcus to play ad-lib and play his style which is that natural style of game.
“It’s always great to see guys with such raw talent just being allowed to go out there and play. I think he’s definitely a danger for us to have to have to contain, but if we’re able to win the battle up front with our set-piece, it really takes away and denies him that free flowing and that front football that he loves to attack off.”
Facing an injury crisis, the Wallabies have been forced to recall Reece Hodge as their fourth choice fullback following Jordan Petaia’s concussion and Tom Banks’ broken arm, while he also slots in as fly-half injury cover with James O’Connor dropped from the bench.
Following a heated battle last week, a laundry list of names were added to the casualty ward with Cadeyrn Neville, Scott Sio and Izaia Perese joining Quade Cooper and Andrew Kellaway on the sidelines, with Dave Rennie admitting the Wallabies depth would be tested in Sydney.
With a chance to secure back-to-back series victories over northern hemisphere sides on home soil, a win in Sydney on Saturday night is of huge importance, especially on the roadmap to next year’s World Cup, which is creeping ever closer.
“The players understand what Test footy is really about; the demands, the toils, and also really enjoy these big weeks,” Foley said. “This is the most like a grand final that they’ll get to play leading into the Rugby World Cup next year, so they will learn a lot about themselves.
“They’ll learn and understand what Test match rugby is, the requirements you need, the physicality, the intensity that you have to bring. They [Australia] were probably off the mark a little bit in that second Test and they got shown up, so I’m really excited to see this decider and see the guys really lift and bring that intensity and that physicality from the first whistle.
“The squad will learn a lot about themselves through these three games and it’s gonna set them up really well for the next [14] months leading into the World Cup.
“It’s not often you get to play these big decider grand final like matches, and for them these big weeks are all about the preparation, all about getting into these do-or-die games, and that’s where you learn the most about you as a rugby team and about the guys around you and really test their connections, the culture and their investment into this team which Dave has been building.
“It’s a really exciting time for them as a squad and a group and they’ll want to learn so much about themselves and get so much out of this leading forward.”