Israel Folau and the pinnacle of Australian rugby
The latest post seems to be the ultimate muscle for Rugby Australia. They announced their intention to tear off the Folau contract. The player challenged that decision at a behavioral hearing. The national drama, slated to last for several months, focuses on Folau.
He is 30 years old, an extraordinarily talented player who has competed in three football competitions in Australia. It is the football league, Australian law and the rugby federation. He made his international league debut for the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions in 2013.
And since then he became the Australian international’s fourth highest scorer and won the John Eales medal – Australian rugby awards – record three times. In February, he signed a 4-year contract worth $ 4 million with Rugby Australia.
His remarks led to Folau dropped by the Asics sponsors – Land Rover also took a car out of him. And he has condemned current and former players, including test captain Michael Hooper and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika. He was the one who said that he would have a hard time picking Folau for Australia again.
Folau’s suspension and the ongoing hearing put the news on the front page in Australia. It sparked a national debate around freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and persistence.
Wallabies, who were never loved to win. Now he faces the prospect of an upcoming World Cup in Japan, a team that does not have their star player. And he spent the months leading up to the tournament with a distracted attention span on strategy and training, but Folau’s opinion.
Whatever the outcome, the saga is set to last for months, with both Folau and Rugby Australia having the right to appeal against any decisions taken out of the hearing rules. But the impact on Wallabies and Australian rugby could be felt for a long time.