Rugby Australia should make peace with Israel Folau
Rugby Australia, Israel Folau, their respective supporters and observants all sit on the precipice of the great unknown as tomorrow sees the commencement of a two-day disciplinary hearing that may, or may not, see the sacking of Israel Folau as a result of his controversial use of social media.
There will be no winner regardless of the outcome. If Rugby Australia is to be victorious and terminate the contract it has with Israel Folau, they, and their supporters may have won a moral battle of sorts. Clearly, there is no room for bigotry or homophobia in a modern, diverse and inclusive society. If victorious, does that now mean there is no room for conservative Christian values in a modern, diverse and inclusive society? If so, what impact would that have on the code in Australia?
Whilst Rugby Australia and social engineers pour onto society the joys of diversity and its ‘embracement or else’ attitude, what does that say to those who actually support Israel Folau? Sorry, we are diverse up to the point of perhaps not including you. Sorry, you can practice your religion; you can even use social media, but we don’t approve of certain biblical passages, so don’t post them with truncated interpretations otherwise you are to be excluded. But it’s ok to like those posts, that won’t get you sacked per se. Is this not censorship manifest?
In April, I wrote a piece for RugbyPass titled ‘Rugby Australia vs. Israel Folau; A fight that the game does not need‘. In that article, I posed the question: Has Rugby Australia considered what impact that may have on other persons of faith within the Australian Rugby Community? Particularly those of Polynesian heritage? Have they considered other persons of faith within the Wallabies themselves who overtly draw the cross of Christ on their wrist tape?
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When the social media post that ignited this saga was first published it was ‘liked’ by fellow Wallabies Samu Kerevi, of Fijian heritage, and Alan Alaalatoa, of Samoan heritage. Since then, Kerevi and prop forward Taniela Tupou have both made comments about the issue. Clearly, this Folau hearing is impacting the broader Wallaby player group of Polynesian heritage, and whilst there has been nothing significantly controversial published in support of Folau by his fellow Polynesian players, I have been credibly advised that Folau is strongly supported by a number of his playing Polynesian brethren. If he is to be sacked, what will be the ripple effect on not only the Wallabies, but the Polynesian community and its relationship to the game of rugby in Australia?
I am friends with a member of the Polynesian community who is legally trained, a former first grade rugby player who now works with Polynesian youth, and posed some questions to him on the Israel Folau issue. His response:
How the standing down has affected the community, in particular, the youth?
“Firstly, it is important understand the context and see through the eyes of Polynesian Youth (PY). There are two significant aspects of most, if not all Polynesians, family and religion. For PY, aspiring to become a professional athlete playing rugby is more than throwing the ball, scoring incredible tries, getting smashed or annihilating opponents. Although this is fun, it is not their focus. PY see this an opportunity to assist their family out of poverty, bring great honour to their family and pride to the land of their ancestors.
“Polynesians have a Collectivistic culture therefore; the greater good of the family trumps the desires of each individual. As a result, if a PY possesses the ability and talent to accomplish this, it becomes their obligation. To assist with this mandate, the PY, siblings and parents make significant sacrifices, and exercise great faith. Having limited financial resources, PY families live off bear minimum to support this greater good, and rely on God’s grace to provide for them each day.
“Over many years, PY will observe their parents make many considerable sacrifices. Hear them consistently and faithfully praising God, pleading him to watch over and strengthen you. When a PY cracks it, the family recognises God’s hand in their journey, and rejoices and praise God both secretly and openly for his love and mercy for the ability to accomplish the greater good of the family.”
So, has this [the Folau saga] affected the youth?
“Most definitely. Understanding the context and how God plays a major role, it isn’t difficult to know why. In speaking with several youth regarding this matter, one commented ‘Its absolute crap! It is a big part of who we are and I don’t know any Poly’s who don’t believe in God…. Hopefully, he is allowed to play’. Another commented: ‘It’s pretty bad, the Wallabies need all the help they can get and they go and do that’.
“Another youth was asked: ‘Do you think this has or likely to have any effect on youth looking to play rugby?’ That youth replied: ‘My coaches and teammates see me pray before and after every game, I hope they don’t ask me to stop because I can’t give my best out there’, with another saying ‘It could, because we might not make certain rep teams because I believe in God’.
Has it turned Christian Polynesians away from the game, or just the Wallabies?
“It has definitely created a negative vibe throughout the Polynesian community as you would expect… but mainly for the PY playing for Wallabies in future”
Being a Christian, what are your thoughts?
“In an attempt to prevent the arrest of Jesus Christ, one of his disciples used his sword and struck one of the servants cutting off his right ear. When this occurred, Jesus Christ immediately intervened, asking his disciple to put away his sword. He then stretched out his hand and healed the ear of the servant, who will moments later arrest him.
“When I think of this event and the way Jesus Christ reacted, I think of being mindful, inclusive and most of all, I think of love. Millions of individuals have lost their lives due to the hatred in this world, and I fear that history is repeating itself.
“Having a legal background, I understand contracts and the importance of adhering to the agreed conditions. If there is a breach of a specific conditions, therefore the contract is breached and compensation or termination is optional by the affected party.
“If the panel members find Izzy guilty of breaching his contract, may Rugby Australia use this as an opportunity to be merciful on Izzy and teach him how to be mindful, inclusive and loving towards others with views that are different than his? If Izzy isn’t found guilty and therefore has no case to answer, may he praise God for his grace and realise the wonderful example he can be by following Jesus Christ and being mindful, inclusive and most of all, showing love as he did. God bless!”
My friend did not wish to be named as he told me: “As much as I want my name to be on the article, to protect the kids at my school as some of them were part of the survey I conducted. Sorry, I can’t due to protecting students.”
I found his response enlightening, but also found him as a harbinger for what likely awaits Rugby Australia if they are to sack Israel Folau. I think it would be disastrous, as he stated, “Has it turned Christian Polynesians away from the game, or just the Wallabies? It has definitely created a negative vibe throughout the Polynesian community as you would expect… but mainly for the PY playing for Wallabies in future.”
What is even more concerning for the code in relation to the Polynesian community is where many of the Polynesian community live within Australia. In an article titled ‘What does the 2016 Census reveal about Pacific Islands Communities in Australia?’ by James Batley, which appeared in a publication titled ‘State, Society & Governance and Melanesia’, it states that ‘New South Wales is home to the largest population of people claiming Pacific ancestry, with just over 38 percent of the total, followed closely by Queensland with 34 percent. In NSW, western Sydney (Blacktown) and south-western Sydney see the highest concentrations of people claiming Pacific ancestry; in Queensland, the highest numbers are recorded in the Ipswich– Logan–Gold Coast–Beaudesert area south of Brisbane.’
I am not surprised, as Israel Folau himself was born in Minto, in South Western Sydney and moved to Marsden which is in the Logan area of South East Queensland. Neither of these areas has a rugby side that competes in either the Shute Shield, the premier club rugby competition in New South Wales, or the Hospitals Cup, which is the Queensland equivalent.
How on earth does Rugby Australia expect to attract Polynesian youth to the game of rugby when, firstly, they have no credible presence in areas in which Polynesians mainly reside, then intend on sacking one of Australian greatest Polynesian athletes for a stupid and insensitive social media tweet about his religion, a religion largely shared by the Polynesian community? Mark the words of my friend: “It has defiantly created a negative vibe throughout the Polynesian community as you would expect….but mainly for the PY playing for the Wallabies in the future.”
Recently the New South Wales Waratahs lost a Super Rugby game to the Sharks at the new Bankwest Stadium located in Parramatta, the central business district of Western Sydney. 10,605 people turned up to watch the Folau-less Waratahs lose. Only days prior in an NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers, the stadium was filled to its 30,000-capacity. Clearly, rugby league is winning the hearts and minds in the west of Sydney.
Interestingly, on September 7, the Wallabies will play Samoa in a test match at Bankwest Stadium. How many of those Polynesians will attend to support Samoa over Australia if Israel Folau is to be sacked? How many of those Polynesian youths who find a path in rugby will opt to play for Samoan, Fijian or Tongan sides and play professionally abroad as opposed to seeking a career with Australian rugby? Could the next Samu Kerevi or Willie Ofahengaue be lost before he is found?
Can Rugby Australia risk such division? I’ve seen Mark Ella, our greatest indigenous player, play, Enrique Rodriguez of Argentina, Ille Tabua of Fiji, Willie Ofahengaue of Tonga, David Pocock of Zimbabwe, George Gregan of Zambia, Clyde Rathbone of South Africa, Quade Cooper of New Zealand and Stephen Moore of Irish parents all do Australia proud. No doubt in the decades of Australian rugby there were homosexuals within the Wallaby playing, coaching and administrative ranks, but it does not appear anyone cared. I am unaware of any homosexual Wallaby ever being excluded from anything.
Australian rugby has come so far in diversity in my short life. My first memories of watching the Wallabies play was in the 1978 home series against Wales. That Wallabies side, while completely Caucasian, consisted of an Englishman, a Polish refugee, a farmer who descended from German stock, and Irish Catholic stock alongside British Protestant stock, all in Wallaby gold. Australian rugby overcame the bigotry of the ‘Old World’ together, and we can do it again, together.
Yet, how is it now in 2019, after rugby has in Australia already overcome racism, sectarianism and the likes, have we become embroiled in the Folau saga? Perhaps in its quest for diversity Rugby Australia has forgotten what diversity actually is, as defined in Dictionary.com: “The inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, colour, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation, etc”.
Hypothetically, for Wallabies fans, if Israel Folau were back in Wallaby gold and in the 79th minute of the World Cup final, he breaks off a would-be tackler and scores the winning try, would you care if he were black, white, Hindu, Muslim or Jew? Would you think, ‘hang on, I better not celebrate as his use of social media at times has been controversial’? No way! Your XXXX, Pimm’s or Chardonnay would be spilling everywhere from pure elation that Australia has won. That’s rugby!
If Israel Folau is to be sacked, that is not a win for diversity and threatens the inclusion of the Polynesian community to the game of rugby in this country into the future. This problem does not exculpate or excuse Israel Folau. His guilt or innocence is for others to decide, but the punishment if found guilty is with Rugby Australia.
Rugby Australia is in an unenviable position. The Wallabies are well-represented by the Polynesian community presently, and I only hope so even by greater numbers into the future, yet it appears Rugby Australia requires sponsorship dollars from sponsors who do not approve of Israel Folau’s controversial tweets. Whilst we all sit on the precipice waiting, is too late to sit down and break bread?
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
So Ireland will be tired. Despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Peoples champions? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win inconsequential tests. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
1 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
1 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
2 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
5 Go to commentsSlade was exceptional against Gloucester. Not only was he doing the classic Slade stuff of running amazing lines and timing passes to perfection to put his wingers into space, he was kicking goals, flying off the line smashing people and crashing into rucks like a flanker… his hair even looked on point. 😍
1 Go to commentsThat’s really sad, hope everyone involved is ok. At least he had pants on.
2 Go to commentsTo be fair it was nowhere bear the Leinster first team (for which, btw, Leinster copped nothing like the outrage that Jake White did for sending a rotated team to the UK). But it’s fun to watch the Stormers doing their thing. They are attracting big, diverse crowds of young fans, and deservedly so. Great to see.
1 Go to commentsIt might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
5 Go to commentsCan we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
5 Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
7 Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
2 Go to commentsJa, why do Bulls get flack for not bringing their best but Leinster never bring their best and it goes “unnoticed”?
4 Go to commentsIt’ll be very interesting to see how Razor’s AB’s handle the new England rush D. It’s basically the Bok recipe they copied, so if England goes well then we know most likely the Boks will go well too. If England cops a hiding then we’ll have to study and adapt.
7 Go to commentsTypical trait of an australian is to moan. Goes well with there lack of humbleness as evident by the Reds bench on the weekend.
5 Go to commentsSBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
12 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
7 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
5 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
7 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
7 Go to comments