Waratahs still without Foley

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 15: Bernard Foley in action during the Waratahs Super Rugby training session at Kippax Lake on March 15, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The Waratahs will be without fly-half Bernard Foley when they host the Highlanders at Allianz Stadium on Friday.

The first-choice pivot was given a 50-50 chance of returning for the Round 4 clash from the shoulder injury that prevented him from playing this season, and assistant coach Nathan Grey confirmed that the 26-year-old is still not ready to play.

“Those type of injuries, you’re good to go or you’re not,” Grey told AAP.

“So you can get through the contact at training and you’re ready to go, or you can’t, and he hasn’t so he’s unavailable.

“I don’t think it’s a setback in terms of the planning. It was always going to be there or thereabouts this week or next week.

“So while it’s out of control, what we can control is how we prepare and the other guys are ready to go and are looking forward to it.”

The Wallaby sustained the injury during their pre-seaosn warm-up match against the Highlanders last month after his return from a stint in Japan with the Ricoh Black Rams, and Grey is confident that he will be ready for the meeting with the Reds in Brisbane next week.

“I’m pretty sure he should be ready next week. It’s a short-term injury,” he added.

“He trained pretty well today but he was in the red bib so hands were off Bernard today – no contact – so we’ve just got to grade that up during the next week and see how he goes.”

Kurtley Beale will continue wearing the number ten jersey in Foley's absence.