Bernard Foley weighs in on Barrett v Mo'unga debate

Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley has dismissed talks Richie Mo'unga displacing Beauden Barret in All Blacks no.10 shirt as “internal mind games” from the Kiwis. 

The playmaker said the same trick was used before Dan Carter’s brilliant World Cup in 2015.

Foley commented on the Barrett v Richie Mo’unga ‘debate’ and also backed his side's defence of a new and untested Aussie midfield against the All Blacks.

“Totally confident,” Foley said “No-one is a liability in our defence.”

Foley is expecting to be lining up against Barrett on Saturday despite Mo’unga’s stellar form in steering the Crusaders to a second Super Rugby title this year prompting the debate in New Zealand about whether he will displace Barrett in the All Blacks no.10.

Foley is not buying it, after experiencing the same thing in 2015 when the pre-Bledisloe Cup “chatter” was that Carter may not even make the World Cup squad.

“I think it is more internal mind games,” Foley said.

“We saw it a couple of years ago in 2015 when they had the same discussion about Dan Carter and Beauden Barrett, and Dan Carter won the world player of the year that year. I think it is internal mind games.

“I can’t seen why there would be anything different. He has been the stalwart for many years, he is the world player (of the year) at the moment, so I can’t see why it would be any different.”

Story via: rugby.com.au