Why Israel Folau refused chance to save career
Controversial Wallabies and Waratahs star Israel Folau spurned the chance to save his $4 million contract with Rugby Australia during his code of conduct hearing in Sydney over the last week.
Folau, who is under fire for condemning all gays to “hell” unless they repent for their “sins”, has instead reached out to fellow rugby players, particularly those of Pasifika heritage, in search of support for both him and his religious views.
The 30-year-old was told that if he took down his divisive Instagram post, which also claimed that ‘drunks, idolators and adulterers’ and others would join homosexuals in “hell”, it would be viewed as remorseful, according to The Daily Telegraph.
It is believed such an admission of his remorse would have reduced his code of conduct breach to a low or mid-range breach.
However, Folau has been issued with a high-level breach, which is serious enough for Rugby Australia to warrant a termination of his contract, while the post remains on his Instagram account, which has 354,000 followers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwEWt2uHcLI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Throughout the three-day hearing, Folau was given multiple opportunities to state that he would prevent future comments that targeted the gay community, but he insisted that he would ‘not change’ and would continue to share his religious beliefs on social media.
As a result, he has asked players from the Australian Super Rugby franchises and the Japan-based Sunwolves to stand by him and his views.
Some players have come out both in support and against Folau’s sentiments since he published the post in April.
Australian-born English No. 8 Billy Vunipola found himself in hot water with England and club side Saracens for liking Folau’s post.
Wallabies and Reds prop Taniela Tupou shared a post on Facebook showing his support for Super Rugby and international teammate Samu Kerevi, who felt obliged to apologise after quoting the bible and thanking Jesus in an Instagram post of his own.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwZIi7Flzk-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In the now-deleted post, Tupou said that Rugby Australia “might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs. I will never apologise for my faith and what I believe in, religion had [sic] got nothing to do with rugby anyways #TYJ”.
Elsewhere, many players and significant figures within the rugby fraternity have condemned Folau’s sentiments, with players and ex-players such as Gareth Thomas, James Haskell, Joe Marler, TJ Perenara, Brad Weber, Nehe Milner-Skudder and, more recently, Clyde Rathbone all taking aim at the 73-test star.
Following his guilty verdict, the best punishment Folau can now hope for is a suspension and/or a fine.
If he is to be sacked, however, he will be the first Australian athlete to be dismissed for his religious beliefs.
Should that be the case, he would not receive a payout after he declined a $1 million settlement agreement with Rugby Australia to walk away from his contract.
Both Folau and Rugby Australia will give written submissions to the panel before the sanction is handed down, while Folau also has 72 hours to lodge an appeal, a matter of which would be heard by an all-new panel.
The current panel’s decision of finding Folau guilty of a high-level breach may not be finalised for several days, with no timeline established on when that will occur.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments