{"id":636901,"date":"2026-04-28T20:13:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:13:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/636901\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T20:13:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:13:12","slug":"wallabies-veterans-eyeing-super-swansong-in-world-cup-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/636901\/","title":{"rendered":"Wallabies veterans eyeing Super swansong in World Cup year"},"content":{"rendered":"

April 29, 2026 \u2014 5:00am<\/p>\n

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Veteran Wallabies playmakers Bernard Foley and James O\u2019Connor are both considering a potential swansong season in Australia next year ahead of the Rugby World Cup, and have had contact with several Super Rugby teams about potential roles.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Connor and Foley – who have played a combined 144 Tests for the Wallabies – are finishing up their contracts at the Leicester Tigers (UK) and Kubota Spears (Japan) in June.<\/p>\n

\"BernardBernard Foley kicking a conversion for Kubota.Getty<\/p>\n

Despite reports recently that Foley had retired – based on Kubota\u2019s social media posts – the 36-year-old\u2019s agent said his client had not hung up the boots, and was considering options to play on.<\/p>\n

\u201cReports of his retirement are premature and incorrect,\u201d Foley\u2019s manager Cameron Day said. \u201cWe have had approaches from all corners of the rugby world over the last nine months and Bernard is carefully considering what is next for him. That process is ongoing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Day declined to elaborate on whether Australian clubs were among those who\u2019d approached but informed sources said the 76-Test playmaker, who steered the Wallabies to a World Cup final in 2015, has had recent interest from the Waratahs, and there has also been informal contact with the Queensland Reds about a potential role under incoming coach Vern Cotter next year.<\/p>\n

Foley last played Super Rugby in 2019 before moving to Japan, where he has been a dominant figure and helped Kubota win the 2023 Top League title<\/a>, and finish runner-up last year. His last Test for the Wallabies was in November 2022 against Ireland.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Connor, who played seven Tests last year in a remarkable comeback<\/a>, is also eager on a return to Australia in 2027 if a spot on a roster opens up. Informed sources said the 35-year-old has had contact with the Reds and Waratahs but no offers have been made yet.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Connor could also end up in Durban with the Sharks, who play in the United Rugby Championship. Sharks coach JP Pietersen is keen on signing O\u2019Connor, according to South African newspaper Rapport.<\/p>\n

Australian rugby\u2019s biggest showpiece event since a home World Cup in 2003 – famous for Jonny Wilkinson\u2019s late drop-goal against the Wallabies in the final – is proving to be a drawcard for players. Former Wallaby forwards Izack Rodda and Lachlan Swinton are also considering returning to Australia from France, according to informed sources.<\/p>\n

\"Australia\u2019sAustralia\u2019s James O\u2019Connor takes on the All Blacks\u2019 defence.AP<\/p>\n

As far as No.10s, the Reds have Carter Gordon, who played five-eighth for the Wallabies against France in their final Test of 2025, on the books for next year.<\/p>\n

But there is uncertainty about whether either Tom Lynagh and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips will be at the franchise next year. The latter is being strongly chased by the Western Force and injury-plagued Lynagh is also off contract<\/a> and looking at options in Japan.<\/p>\n

The Reds also have 18-year-old Finn Mackay, and he was impressive in the Junior Wallabies\u2019 34-29 loss to New Zealand on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n

The Waratahs have spoken recently about the value of having a senior statesman<\/a> at No.10, where they can mentor a stable of younger playmakers. The Tahs are talking with veteran No.10 Jack Debreczeni about extending his one-season deal, and also have Joey Fowler and the recently signed Harry Burey. The future of Jack Bowen, who is off contract and has only played once this season, is uncertain.<\/p>\n

The Waratahs haven\u2019t made a Super Rugby final since Foley\u2019s side of 2014 beat the Crusaders in Sydney.<\/p>\n

Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said he has kept in contact with O\u2019Connor after working together at the Wallabies, and he also appeared to keep a door slightly ajar for Foley.<\/p>\n

\u201cI obviously got to know him (O\u2019Connor) well throughout the Wallaby period there and chatted to him about (O\u2019Connor\u2019s former Crusaders\u2019 teammate) Ioane (Moananu) and that sort of thing and obviously spoke to him around Leicester.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I have conversations with him. I haven\u2019t spoken to James about coming back here. And we\u2019ve had conversations in the past with Bernard, but nothing sort of eventuated there.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhilst he\u2019s at the end of his career, he\u2019s certainly playing really good rugby up in Kubota and that\u2019s a fast, intense competition, you know? So I think the top league is probably pretty similar to Super Rugby.<\/p>\n

With a dominant pack and Mackay in strong form at No.10, the Junior Wallabies led New Zealand 24-12 at halftime in the Under 20 Rugby Championships in Gqeberha.<\/p>\n

But yellow cards to Cooper Watters and Angus Grover in the second half left the Junior Wallabies with 13 men for a stretch, and the Kiwis surged back and took the game.<\/p>\n

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\"IainIain Payten<\/a> is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.\"TomTom Decent<\/a> is the chief sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"April 29, 2026 \u2014 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":636902,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":["post-636901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-rugby","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=636901"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636901\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/636902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=636901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=636901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=636901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}