Watch: Former Wallaby rival Foley carded for flattening Beauden Barrett but the All Black has last laugh
Former Wallabies flyhalf Bernard Foley has squared off against Beauden Barrett many times at international level, with the first choice flyhalf under Michael Cheika coming off second best on many occasions.
Foley never tasted Bledisloe Cup success, with the All Blacks keeping the trophy in New Zealand during his entire career. There were some ugly results, particularly from 2016 when Beauden Barrett became New Zealand’s 10 as the Wallabies were succumbed to heavy defeats regularly.
With both players in the Top League, Foley came up against Barrett once again as the Kubota Spears tried to take down the undefeated Suntory Sungoliath.
It didn’t take long for the pair to become reacquainted, as Foley was yellow-carded for a hit that flattened the All Black star and left watchers concerned for his safety.
Trying to spark something on counter attack, Barrett rounded the corner and decided to put a left-foot chip kick in over the top. Foley, defending at fullback, decided to jump in an effort to charge down Barrett’s kick.
The aerial Foley awkwardly collided with Barrett at full-steam, where the horrific clap of the collision was audible through the broadcast. Play was stopped immediately as the stinging shot left the Suntory star clutching his ribs on the ground.
Commentator Ken Laban said Foley ‘was in trouble here’ after suggesting ‘there was some malice in that cheap shot’. Laban further retracted his statement once he saw a replay, downgrading his assessment to ‘unfortunate contact’.
Bernard Foley saw yellow for this hit on Beauden Barrett 💥
Watch Japan's Top League ad-free, live & on demand on Stan Sport.#SNTvKUB #TopLeague #トップリーグ pic.twitter.com/C3xQMq4NyW
— Stan Sport (@StanSportAU) April 3, 2021
Barrett was able to return to play after an assessment by the match doctor, and went about delivering payback to Foley and his Kubota side.
He went on to score 19 points, including the match-winning try with scores tied 26-all with just two minutes remaining.
Running a line reminiscent of his 2016 form, Barrett exploded onto a short ball on Kubota’s edge, bursting through the gap before outgunning the cover defence to score the defining play.
The match-winning try came just one week after Barrett’s 40-metre penalty goal on the last play of the game sunk Toyota Verblitz. This week’s play handed Kubota their first defeat, and crucially keeps them at bay in the same conference.
Beauden Barrett is built different 🔥 He comes up clutch two weeks in a row.
Watch Japan's Top League ad-free, live & on demand on Stan Sport.#SNTvKUB #TopLeague #トップリーグ pic.twitter.com/LyRc6puB5X
— Stan Sport (@StanSportAU) April 3, 2021
Suntory’s major recruit is proving to be worth every penny as they look to secure a Top League crown, with Barrett’s starring role the last two weeks keeping the side undefeated and knocking off their two main conference rivals.
The Sungoliath are now six wins from six matches and one of three remaining undefeated teams, along with Kobe Steelers and the Panasonic Wild Knights.
Comments on RugbyPass
This game was always going to be close, Canada have such a dominant pack and the Black Ferns have come unstuck in that area against teams like France and England in the past.
2 Go to commentsA distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
2 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
8 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
8 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments