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Israel Folau: The star that burned twice as bright but half as long
If this truly is the end of Israel Folau’s football career in Australia, the dual international’s car crash-style exit will have been as swift and spectacular as his rise was meteoric.
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Few could have imagined the extraordinary career Folau would enjoy when he made his NRL debut as a teenager at the Melbourne Storm in 2007.
In little more than a decade, the precocious talent set endless records and achieved unparalleled honours while becoming the first player to compete in the NRL, AFL and Super Rugby competitions.
From the moment he bagged Melbourne’s match-winning try on his NRL debut – as the Storm’s youngest-ever player – Folau was a sensation in rugby league.
He finished the 2007 season as a grand final winner, Dally M rookie of the year and the competition’s equal top try-scorer.
That was just the start.
Folau then rounded out 2007 by collecting another double while, at 18 years and 194 days, deposing Brad Fittler as the youngest player to represent Australia in a Test match in a 58-0 rout of New Zealand.
In 2008, Folau, typically, scored on his Queensland debut before notching another double and being named man of the match in the Maroons’ series-deciding win over NSW.
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In 2009, the try-scoring freak scored on debut for Brisbane, then stole the show by soaring above his ex-Melbourne teammates to claim a decisive four-pointer in a thrilling Broncos win over the Storm.
There was simply no stopping him.
By the time he’d left the NRL after four incredible seasons, Folau had played in two grand finals, two State of Origin series wins, eight Tests for Australia and set several try-scoring benchmarks.
And he was still only 21 years old.
His two fleeting seasons in the AFL were hardly as successful, with Folau kicking two goals in 13 appearances for expansion club Greater Western Sydney.
But the trailblazing code-hopper still departed several million dollars richer.
Shrewdly sec ured by then-NSW Waratahs coach Michael Cheika, Folau continued his record-setting exploits in rugby.
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In 2014, the Minto-born marvel became the first player to top the try-scoring charts in both an NRL and Super Rugby season while helping pilot the Waratahs to a drought-breaking maiden premiership.
He topped the list again in 2016 before last Saturday becoming Super Rugby’s all-time leading try-scorer, surpassing All Blacks great Doug Howlett with his 60th five-pointer for the Tahs.
Folau also had the distinction of playing against the touring British and Irish Lions in his first year in the 15-man game before winning a Rugby Championship and making a World Cup final with the Wallabies in 2015.
During a decorated 73-Test career for the Wallabies, Folau also became the first three-times John Eales Medallist (2014, 2015, 2017) as Australian rugby’s player of the year.
With 37 five-pointers, Folau is Australia’s equal-third-highest trys-corer of all time b ehind only the legendary David Campese (64) and Chris Latham (40) and alongside Adam Ashley-Cooper, having marked his entry to international rugby with a record-equalling 10 in 2013.
Sadly, though, there will be no more after Folau had his four-year, $4 million contract terminated by Rugby Australia on Friday.
Booted out for expressing his deeply religious and offensive views on social media, Folau’s only options appear a move overseas,
And if that is not forthcoming, a higher calling might be Folau’s ultimate play as as a preacher for his church.
– AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
8 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
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