This was published 8 years ago
Goal-kicking silence won't distract Bernard Foley at Rugby World Cup
By Chris Dutton
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LONDON: He has been targeted with lasers and had abuse hurled over the fence, but Wallabies sharpshooter Bernard Foley says the eeriest moment will be lining up a kick in complete silence.
Foley will take centre stage when he takes on the kicking duties for Australia's World Cup pool of death blockbuster against England at Twickenham on Saturday night (Sunday morning AEST).
Eerie silence: Wallabies playmaker Bernard Foley has had to get used to the lack of noise from the crowd when he kicks for goal. Credit: Getty Images
And the NSW Waratahs playmaker is embracing the pressure of the high-stakes contest, adamant he's "comfortable" stepping up to take a game-changing kick when the game is on the line.
Twickenham officials enforce the "respect the kicker" campaign, which is common at northern hemisphere venues, with fans sitting in complete silence when either team takes shots at goal.
It's a world away from playing in Argentina, where Wallabies kickers have had lasers pointed into their eyes, or the hostile atmospheres in New Zealand or South Africa.
Foley is confident the silence of 82,000 fans, mostly supporting hosts England, won't be off-putting as the eyes of the rugby world focus on him.
"It's a bit different, it's a bit eerie when the stadium is quiet rather than having them all yelling at you and cheering," Foley said.
"When I first did it in Ireland last year, they went dead quiet. The first couple of kicks were really eerie, you could hear babies cry and that was about it.
"The first one shocked me, but it's fine now. You tap into that knowledge and experience of having done it before."
The Wallabies have employed kicking coach Chris Malone to tutor Foley and the rest of the squad.
Accuracy is crucial to World Cup success and most big matches are defined by one player's boot rather than a breathtaking try.
The kickers finished with more than 80 per cent of the points scored in England's loss to Wales last weekend.
At the past three World Cups there have been 15 tries and 36 penalties in semi-finals and finals.
Foley's five-eighth rival, Quade Cooper, only slotted six of his 11 attempts in the Wallabies' 65-3 rout against Uruguay last week, giving Foley the edge in the No.10 battle.
But Foley's accuracy in Super Rugby was 70 per cent and he admitted he struggled through some rough patches.
"Our kicking coach has drummed into us that kicking is the most vital aspect of World Cups," Foley said.
"All World Cups have been won with kicks, or a kick has been a massive factor.
"For me, it's going back to repetition and consistency … it's the process. If I'm feeling comfortable with my run-up and everything then I'm in the zone and able to factor everything else out. Just worry about the kick.
"There are definitely times or games or patches where you start thinking about it differently, but if you get back to the simple thought – I've got a couple of key things – then it goes smoothly."
The Wallabies can knock England out of the tournament if they beat them this weekend.
It would be the first time in World Cup history that a host nation has failed to progress through the group stages.
Foley said the Wallabies were aware of the enormity of the contest, but as the chief playmaker he was focused on a game plan.
That means reducing the amount of space England's dangerous back three – fullback Mike Brown and wingers Jonny May and Anthony Watson - get.
"They're very dangerous on their feet and have great pace and you have seen the quality of Mike Brown in the first couple of games," Foley said.
"They've got genuine pace. You can't kick aimlessly so we'll have a plan there to nullify their attacking game.
"I think we're all so excited about it, it's a momentous occasion to play the Poms in a World Cup match at their home and the home of rugby, it is something you dream about."