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'The Japanese people will embrace him': Folau backed by new coach
Israel Folau’s new head coach Rob Penney has no concerns about how the controversial ex-Wallabies star will be received by the Japanese public after signing a deal with Top League club NTT Communications Shining Arcs.
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The announcement marks Folau’s return to rugby union two years after he was sacked by Rugby Australia [RA] for making anti-gay posts on social media.
The 32-year-old’s dismissal from RA was one of the highest-profile and messiest exits from rugby union in the history of the game as Folau filed a lawsuit against the union, claiming his contract was unlawfully terminated on the basis of religion.
Folau and RA eventually reached a confidential settlement in December 2019, but the saga has made the dual-code international one of the most divisive figures in both rugby union and rugby league.
However, that hasn’t stopped Penney, who returns to NTT Communications as the club’s director of rugby after being sacked as Waratahs head coach in March, from endorsing Folau ahead of his arrival in Japan.
“Teams are really keen to promote the game up here and obviously Izzy’s profile is extremely high,” Penney told the Sydney Morning Herald.
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“He’s a world-class player, still got a bit of petrol in the tank and he’ll make a massive contribution up there. The Japanese people will really embrace him for his sporting prowess.”
It has been reported that Folau is under no uncertain terms in his contract that he will not post religious messages on his social media accounts, and Penney is hopeful his star man has learned from his controversial past.
“I don’t think anyone outside of his inner circle believes what he was going on about,” Penney told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I suspect that he’s learnt and hopefully that is the case and let’s just get on and let the man play a game he’s gifted in.”
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Penney went on to describe Folau as an “amazing talent” and said his inclusion in the Top League will be a significant boost for the NTT Communications Shining Arcs and Japanese rugby.
You would think that any Super Rugby side in New Zealand would be willing to make room for the @MaoriAllBlacks playmaker. #SuperRugbyhttps://t.co/DcnpCuugTp
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 7, 2021
“It’ll be great to have him back in our game, I reckon. It’s people like him who can do special things. We just need to have him involved, don’t we,” he said.
“The fan base, they might have the most intimate knowledge about every little detail but they love it. Having someone like him involved will be really great for NTT Comm.”
Following his dismissal from RA, Folau signed with French rugby league club, the Catalans Dragons, ahead of the 2020 Super League season.
The former NRL and AFL star was recently granted a release from the Perpignan-based side to return to Australia and play for the Southport Tigers alongside two of his brothers in the amateur Gold Coast Rugby League Premiership.
Those plans have been put on hold, though, as he is set to link up with NTT Communications Shining Arcs at some point between mid-August and mid-November.
Folau brings with him a wealth of experience to the Ichikawa-based club after having played 73 tests for the Wallabies between 2013 and 2018.
One of only two players to have won the John Eales Medal as Australia’s best player three times, Folau also won a Super Rugby title with the Waratahs in 2014 and ended his Super Rugby career as the competition’s all-time top try-scorer.
He will not, however, be considered by the Wallabies under Dave Rennie due to his tainted history with the code in Australia, despite meeting RA’s 60-cap eligibility threshold required of overseas-based players.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments