NSW Waratahs rugby coach Michael Foley has slammed suggestions his players try harder for Australia and says the tougher his job has become, the more it has appealed to him.
On Tuesday, Foley presented to the Waratahs Rugby board a review of a season to date, which has gleaned just four wins from 14 games.
Waratahs Rugby chief executive Jason Allen told AAP on Thursday that a recommendation from the board was imminent.
Foley said he was focusing on the immediate future of the team rather than his own situation, when asked if he was confident he would retain his position into next year.
“All I’m thinking about is the next two games. Whatever happens after that is down to the board and I’m not being presumptuous either way,” Foley said.
“I do love coaching this side and I think the challenges we’ve faced this year will make us stronger into the future, but they are the questions that the board will have to answer.
“I think the opportunity to coach this particular group of players, the harder it’s got this year, the more I’ve found the job appealing, which sounds a little strange, because I’d do anything for a few more wins.”
The Waratahs dominated selections in the Wallabies team that swept Six Nations champions Wales in the three-Test series, but resume their Super Rugby campaign on Saturday week against the Brumbies, striving to break a six-match losing streak.
“I think there, at times, has been an inference that our players try harder for Australia than they do for us. That just doesn’t wash with me,” Foley said.
“Our players try hard all year round – the statistics would support that.
“What they’ve been doing for us they went and did for Australia and combinations worked well.
“Our players will keep doing what they’ve been doing all year. They will keep trying hard.”
With Test winger Lachie Turner back playing club rugby after a long-term injury, Foley said he faced some potentially-good selection conundrums, with all his major backs available for the first time this season.
Foley praised the contribution of departing skipper Rocky Elsom, who will head to Japan after making just a handful of appearances in his ill-fated and injury-plagued second stint with NSW.
“He had a bit of bad luck in last year’s World Cup with his physical status, but he’s invested a lot of time and energy into the team and helping in the background,” Foley said.