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It was three months ago Bernard Foley cruised around Sydney Harbour spruiking a new rugby concept on water with his international rugby career likely 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 handed his first Test since 2019.
He is set to be one of a number of changes made by Dave Rennie in response to the deflating loss to the Springboks in Sydney.
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Not since 2007 has a Wallabies coach been forced to name four different No.10s in the one year, but Noah Lolesio’s concussion suffered during the 24-8 loss to the world champions has seen Rennie call up 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 leaving to Japan, will be hoping to replicate the feats of Cooper who has won all six Tests since completing his own remarkable return from the international wilderness last year.
Just like Cooper’s stunning return against the Springboks last year, Foley will step back into the playmaking position despite not playing a minute of action since his Japanese side’s third-place playoff in May.
While he craved a return to the Wallabies earlier in the year, he was doing public speaking engagements during the 2-1 series loss to England on Australian shores.
At the same time he was talking up Aqua Rugby – a new way to play the game on water, with fellow Test stars Drew Mitchell and Ma’a Nonu involved, too.
Not required for The Rugby Championship, Foley was overseas in the United States of America before Cooper went down in Mendoza and O’Connor struggled a week later in San Juan.
The wild ride in Argentina saw Rennie respond to Foley and invite him into camp.
Now he faces rugby’s biggest test, as he attempts 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 a draw at the Olympic Stadium in his second match against the powerhouse rugby nation in 2014.
The former Waratahs playmaker won’t be the only change either, with his old NSW teammate Lalakai Foketi likely to come in at inside centre to replace Hunter Paisami, who too suffered a concussion against the Springboks.
Utility back Andrew Kellaway is firming for a recall to the starting side, with Reece Hodge likely to drop back to the bench and provide cover ahead of the fit-again Kurtley Beale.
Up front changes are expected, too.
The tough evening Fraser McReight suffered against Siya Kolisi, who dominated the breakdown, could see a tweak to the back-row.
Pete Samu has been considered a super sub in the past, a role he developed and starred in under Scott Robertson at the Crusaders, but his bigger presence has him in line to start ahead of McReight.
Rory Arnold’s departure has opened up a spot in the second-row, while Dave Porecki’s accuracy at the set-piece has him in-line to return to the front-row.
The availability of Taniela Tupou remains to be seen, after the massive prop tweaked his calf in warm-up during the Springboks loss.
While the injury is not considered a significant one, Wallabies management will likely take a cautious approach to his return after he also hurt his other calf in the backend of this year’s Super Rugby campaign.
Pone Fa’amausili would likely come onto the bench should Tupou indeed be ruled out.
Helping the Wallabies’ front-row stocks is the return to health of prop Angus Bell, who has missed the past four Tests because of a foot injury.
The Wallabies are bracing for the assignment that awaits against the All Blacks.
Although their thumping 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 still existing within 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 Brodie Retallick’s return 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 for taking a 1-0 lead across the ditch for their return match a week later.
“It’s just more brutality,” Koroibete said when asked about the key to beating New Zealand.
“Just contest on the ruck. Everyone across the park needs to bring that physicality, dominate the tackle and test their ruck.
“Just bring aggression on Thursday. That’s what they don’t want. That’s what the South Africans and Argies (Argentina) did to them when they won. That’s what we need to bring.”
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