Foley's deal leaves big gap

THE Waratahs have lost outstanding five-eighth Bernard Foley twice in one week, with the No.10 agreeing to join the Melbourne Rebels next year.

Bernard Foley

THE Waratahs have lost outstanding five-eighth Bernard Foley twice in one week, with the No.10 agreeing to join the Melbourne Rebels next year.

Just days after learning they would lose Foley for their Lions clash next month due to his call-up to the Australian World Cup sevens team, the Tahs got even worse news about the future of the 23-year-old.

It is understood Foley has been lured by a sizeable offer and has already signed.

Understandably, the Waratahs are not happy about losing the former Aussie sevens skipper, despite the fact Kurtley Beale is almost certain to come the other way next season, along with halfback Nick Phipps.

Foley is regarded as a player of huge potential by Tahs coach Michael Cheika, and has this season shown the benefit of some rare consistency in the selection of a NSW No.10.

Backed all season, Foley leads Super Rugby for try assists (13) and linebreak assists (11), and is one off the lead for most linebreaks (9) as well.

It is the second Waratah pinched by the Rebels this year, after Lopeti Timani, and our snouts tell us there could be more. The recruitment of Foley as a ball-playing no.10 does little to dispel talk James O'Connor won't be at the Rebels next year. Despite predictable denials, he is talking with several provinces.

THE unkind among us might describe it as a sadly familiar result in Perth.

The Force crowd attempted to break a world record for most people wearing hi-vis clothing last week at their Highlanders game, but despite being a mining town, there was no need to bother the record keepers.

A creditable 1275 people couldn't be missed in their gear, but they fell 200 short of the record of 1475 set in Oramore, Ireland.

On a brighter note, the Force beat the Highlanders for their third win of the year.

YOU have to hand it to eccentric Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal.

Fresh from the French mega-club's Heineken Cup success recently - and their impending Top 14 final against Castres - he appears pretty keen to prove he's bought, sorry, cultivated the world's best team.

If Toulon win the European-French title double, he'll bankroll a clash with the 2013 Super Rugby champions in Monaco.

It will become known among cynics as "Mourad's recruiting weekend".

Eurosport will be screening the Top 14 final on Sunday morning at 5am.

CRAIG Wing dreamed of playing in a Bledisloe Cup as a kid. He had to settle for State of Origin instead (settle, lost rugby league fan).

But Wing could still get a chance to take on the All Blacks, with the NZRU in talks to play a Test in Japan before their Spring Tour in November. Wing recently made his Test debut for the Cherry Blossoms, after qualifying via residency.