Bernard Foley gives Wallabies hopes a kick after leading Sydney University to thrilling Shute Shield victory

WALLABIES coach Ewen McKenzie told Bernard Foley to return to club rugby and lift his teammates through his own performance.

Bernard Foley

IN the last conversation Bernard Foley had with Ewen McKenzie before leaving Wallabies camp last week, the coach told him to return to club rugby and lift his teammates through his own performance.

With Sydney University staring down the barrel of a famous preliminary final defeat at the hands of Manly last Saturday, down 23-22 and 30 seconds after the full-time siren had sounded, Foley stepped up to kick the winning field goal.

Mission accomplished, like so many others this season for Foley, Australia's third-choice five-eighth whose chance will eventually come in the Test arena.

"I have just got to bide my time, until one day I do get to play in that gold jersey," Foley said on Monday.

"Link said to me, 'You're going well, keep doing what you're doing, when you go back to club footy it's not like you're dropping off, that's when you improve. Try to lift the players around you'."

Foley went back to training with Uni and as per his usual routine, practiced field goals after most of his teammates had hit the showers.

With Manly leading 23-17 in the 70th minute, and a raucous home crowd at Manly Oval cheering them home, it seemed defending premiers Uni were destined for a sudden-death playoff this weekend.

But replacement winger James Dargaville scored in the corner with his first touch minutes before full-time, setting up a thrilling finish.

As the siren sounded, Uni attacked Manly's line and Foley moved into position from 15 metres out, just wide of the uprights.

"It wasn't the hardest of field goals, but the main thing is it went over," Foley said.

"Our forwards did an outstanding job getting us into that position.

"It was great to be in that position to win the game, a lot of times you can be the villain if you don't hit those ones."

With the win, Uni get the week off and Manly have been thrust into an elimination final against Eastern Suburbs at Coogee Oval this Sunday.

Minor premiers Eastwood also earned the week off after defeating Southern Districts 33-27 in another tough affair.

Ousted Wallaby prop Benn Robinson continued his eye-catching form with a try for Eastwood, having also crossed the previous week.

Robinson's try gave Eastwood a 33-13 lead in the 50th minute, before Souths mounted a late fightback before falling short.

In the other preliminary finals last weekend, West Harbour and Northern Suburbs were eliminated for the 2013 playoffs after losses.

West Harbour suffered a stunning upset to Randwick, who finished eighth on the ladder and only qualified for the finals due to a better points differential than Warringah, who had the same number of competition points (40).
West Harbour, who finished fifth, conceded six tries at Concord Oval to lose 37-24.

Easts defeated Norths 36-27 courtesy of tries from Damon Anderson, Mitch Chapman, Will Fay, Pauliasi Taumoepeau and Alex Walker.

Their clash against Manly on Sunday (3.10pm) will require similar form, given Easts have lost to the Marlin on both occasions this year; 39-20 in round five, and 26-22 in round 14.

In the first qualifying final this weekend, Souths take on Randwick at Coogee Oval on Saturday (3.10pm).