Nick Cain: The folly of Foley could kill off the Lions tours

Michael Foley played against the 2001 Lions four times. Once at hooker for the Queensland Reds, and three times for the Wallabies, starting two of the Tests and coming off the bench for the other.
Yet, Foley decided not to grant that same privilege to many of the best players at the Western Force, the team he now coaches.
Foley’s decision that it was in the best interests of the Perth-based franchise to stand down players from Wednesday’s tour opener against the Lions in favour of a Super 15 match against the Waratahs smacks not just of Aussie parochialism, but of rank self-interest.
Foley’s position at the Force, who are third last in the Super 15 table, is rumoured to be under threat after just one season in charge. Consequently, rather than give his players the once-in-a-career opportunity to play the Lions – as well as honour a fixture that the Force have known about for years in advance – he chose to try to put some gloss on a lacklustre Super Rugby campaign.
The big problem for Foley is convincing anyone other than himself that his mothballing of his senior players against the Lions was anything more than a completely futile exercise.
The argument against his decision is overwhelming when you consider the facts. There is no relegation in the Super 15, so the Force were safe. Foley’s stance was undermined even further when the Waratahs – the team he had held in such high esteem – decided to field a reserve side of their own in the dead rubber.
The result is that 11 regular starters at the Force, including Chris Alcock, Pek Cowan, Kieran Longbottom, Sam Wykes, Heath Tessman, Pat Dellit, Kyle Godwin, Jayden Hayward, Ben Jacobs and Hugh McMeniman, were denied the opportunity to play the Lions, only to find themselves playing a team of novices this weekend instead.
Given that playing the Lions is a chance that comes along just once every 12 years for Australian players, it soon became clear that Foley’s decision had gone down like a lead balloon in his own dressing room.
The player grapevine indicated as much. Although no one at the Force would jeopardise their career by openly criticising their coach, senior players at other franchises were less guarded.
Adam Ashley Cooper, the Wallabies and Waratahs centre, said: “I would have been disappointed…it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play against the Lions.”
Ben Mowen, the Brumbies captain and No.8, added: “I think that would be extremely disappointing for those guys. It’s just a massive honour to play a side like this.”
Meanwhile, Phil Blake, Foley’s predecessor as Western Force coach, let rip at Foley after watching a weakened side given a 69-17 dusting by the Lions.
Blake, who is still close to a number of the Force squad, said: “It should never have been allowed to happen. The ARU shouldn’t have let it happen, the (Force) board shouldn’t have let it happen, and Foley shouldn’t have been allowed to do it.
“They’ve been promoting the history of the Lions and what it means to everyone who plays with them, and against them. I would have thought a potential win against the British & Irish Lions in your history books would have meant more than a win against a second string NSW side.”
He added: “Next time there’s a touring side coming to Australia they’ll jump up and down if they don’t get a game in the West. But why should they get another game when they’ve treated the biggest game in their history this way?”
What this sorry story also highlights are the inadequate provisions and safeguards written into the current Lions tour agreement with the SANZAR Unions.
The Lions chief executive, John Feehan, said in 2009 after the Lions encountered the same problem in South Africa, with the provincial sides denuded of their Springboks, that it would not happen again.
It has happened again, and it has made the Lions look toothless off the field.
If the tour ethos is to be preserved the Lions administrators have to take action, preferably by insisting on hefty financial sanctions against any provincial side that fails to field at least 10 of their Super Rugby regulars. The withdrawal of players from provincial teams completely undermines a Lions tour, and it also cheats visiting fans as well as home supporters.
If it is allowed to continue it will kill the last of the great rugby tours, reducing it to a three-Test series which lasts barely a fortnight.
It is doubtful whether you would get many more than a few thousand fans bothering to travel so far for such a short period – as opposed to the 20,000 to 30,000 who have travelled for each of the last three tours – and with it comes the danger that the Lions, having lost public support, will become extinct.
As for Foley, he may not have done himself any favours, but he may inadvertently have done one for the Lions by spotlighting the shortcomings of the existing tours agreement.