After just 11 appearances for his state, the 22 year old’s rare talent saw him rewarded with a call up to the 39-man Wallabies squad for the June test series against Scotland and Wales.
His stellar season was then capped off when he won the Chris Whitaker Aspiring Waratah Medal for 2012. Able to play a role in fullback or fly-half, his versatility emerged during his early career as a sevens specialist.
Bernard had the rare honour of making his Super Rugby debut in a finals match, coming on in the closing stages of the 2011 Qualifying Final against the Blues.
He was a silver medallist with the Australian Sevens team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and went on to captain the national squad on the 2010/11 IRB Series.
After making his first debut in state colours, he enjoyed a stellar season with Sydney University where his skill and versatility earned him a call-up to the Australian Barbarians and a full-time Super Rugby contract.
Bernard Foley’s 2014 season will long be recognised for its remarkable finish, with a heart-stopping penalty goal all but guaranteeing the Waratahs their first Super Rugby title.
In July 2015, he signed a three year flexible contract with the Australian Rugby Union that would enable him to play two seasons of rugby in Japan, whilst remaining eligible to represent the Wallabies.
Foley featured in 10 of the Waratahs 15 Super Rugby matches in 2017 and scored 133 points taking his total number of appearances to 92 with 735 points scored.
He also started all three of the Wallabies June Internationals and heads into the Rugby Championship as one of the side's two vice-captains.
Following the conclusion of the 2019 Super Rugby season, the Waratahs confirmed that Foley would leave the side after the Rugby World Cup. Foley is the New South Wales’ sides most-capped flyhalf of all time with almost 180 caps since his debut against the Blues back in 2011 and will leave a huge dearth of experience in Australia’s ranks.
Foley represented the Wallabies at the World Cup taking his test cap tally to 71 and scored 622 points with the Wallabies going out in the quarter-finals. He joins Kubota Spears for the 2020 Top League season.
Career
Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay Fly Half |
2020 - present | |
Australia A Fly Half |
2023 - present | |
Black Rams Tokyo Fullback |
2015 - 2016 | |
NSW Waratahs Fly Half |
2011 - 2019 | |
Sydney Rays Fly Half |
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Australia Fly Half |
2013 - 2023 | |
Sydney University Rugby Club Fullback |