Rugby
Greg Growden, ESPN Rugby 6y

Israel Folau's issues run far deeper than anti-gay comments

Super Rugby

So, Israel Folau is prepared to walk away from rugby union because of his religious beliefs. Will Australian rugby fall apart if its officials waved their highest paid player goodbye? No.

Was Folau's public comments that homosexuals are destined for hell unless they repented their sins hurtful, divisive and dangerous. Yes.

Would such comments upset and alienate an important sector of our community? Yes.

Should Rugby Australia have been far tougher on Folau? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Clearly petrified at contract renegotiation time of losing what was once one of their few marketable players, they have given Folau the feather-duster treatment, telling him to first go away and think about it, then opting against any sanctions.

You just wonder what a far easier target --Jacques Potgieter -- thinks about all this, especially after the then Waratahs lock was fined $20,000 for making anti-gay slurs in a 2015 match against the Brumbies. This was quickly resolved by Rugby Australia under its Inclusion Policy, with the South African immediately admitting his regret for calling an opposing player a 'f----t.'

In Folau's case, he thought about it, and instead opted to fuel the flames by using the Players Voice website to reinforce his stance that based on Biblical texts homosexuals were destined to hell.

"I was asked a question by somebody about what God's plan is for gay people. My response to the question is what I believe God's plan is for all sinners, according to my understanding of my Bible teachings....

"I do not know the person who asked the question... I believed he was looking for guidance and I answered him honestly and from the heart. I know a lot of people will find that difficult to understand, but I believe the Bible is the truth and sometimes the truth can be difficult to hear," Folau wrote.

Rugby Australia's weak-kneed approach in not sanctioning Folau won't see an enormous problem go away. If they are serious about their policy whereby players, supporters, coaches or administrators, are supposed to feel safe, welcome and included regardless of race, gender or sexuality, they have to stand up to Folau.

They haven't, and more fool them, especially when they express the limp argument that Folau "did not intend to upset people intentionally". Hate to tell you, but Folau has deeply upset people -- and his intentions must be questioned by continuing to comment on the issue. Rugby Australia has backed down. Folau certainly won't. So, it's time for some home-truths about Folau.

Does he deserve to be Australia's highest-paid player? I think not. He hasn't exactly transformed the game since moving from the rugby league/AFL ranks in 2013, where, apart from some encouraging signs last season when he picked up his act, he has often been underwhelming. Before 2017, he was often in cruise control.

In recent days, former Wallabies coach Alan Jones has been among Folau's most vehement supporters, stressing the importance of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech should be forever defended, but there are always repercussions if comments are hurtful. Jones knows that full well.

Folau wouldn't have been so impressed with what Jones said a year ago when he described him as 'very over-rated'. "Israel can't pass the ball... He can't set people up," Jones said.

Jones was not alone in those beliefs. Numerous opposing coaches, in particular the All Blacks' Steve Hansen and England's Eddie Jones, have worked Folau out. The All Blacks know how to turn him and run around him, (remember how easily New Zealand winger Rieko Ioane embarrassingly cruised past him to score in Sydney last August), while Jones has nullified Folau in numerous England Tests by using the box kick to isolate him.

Great players make impact at the major tournaments. Folau lacked presence at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The Wallabies have since admitted Folau was injured, which makes it even more of a farce that they played someone with a suspect ankle. Nonetheless as Jones, then coaching Japan said, Folau's form at the World Cup was 'pretty ordinary'.

As for being Australian Rugby's most indispensable player, Folau is far from it. Give me David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Will Genia, Bernard Foley and Tatafu Polota-Nau -- if Wallabies coach Michael Cheika can convince the Test hooker to return from the Leicester Tigers to fill a spot that is lacking viable candidates -- any day before Folau.

They invariably make a difference. Folau often doesn't.

Pocock's overwhelming impact on a game was there for all to see on Saturday night in the Brumbies-Highlanders Super Rugby match in Dunedin. The Highlanders contained the Brumbies elsewhere, but not Pocock. He was a constant menace. Through his strength and breakdown domination, Pocock won several crucial turnovers. The Highlanders had to finally resort to unsavoury tactics to thwart Pocock, with opposing flanker Elliot Dixon getting away with a disgraceful neck roll tackle that could have caused serious damage to the Wallabies flanker.

Hooper is, meanwhile, the Waratahs' prime energy source. Genia has transformed the Melbourne Rebels into a viable product; everyone will discover how much Genia is missed over the next few weeks as he is not with the Rebels in South Africa due to injury. Foley is turning into a quality Super Rugby and Test No. 10, and without him the Waratahs and Wallabies would be in serious trouble. Polota-Nau provides the required fearless physical edge to provide the platform for the supposed superstars like Folau out wide to dazzle. They are important players, and always put in. Folau in contrast drifts in and out.

And the Waratahs haven't exactly collapsed while Folau has been sidelined. The big claim now is that Folau, if perched on the wing and given ample crossfield kicks from Foley, will become the most dynamic of attacking forces through his high marking ability, generating a mountain of tries. It worked in one game for the Waratahs this year, but as the move is so bleedingly obvious one cannot see it being so successful against far more savvy teams, such as the All Blacks, who also boast capable leaping defenders in Ben Smith and Damian McKenzie.

With this emotive issue hanging over his head, Folau will instead find himself a target... probably a floundering target. Chiefs scrum-half Brad Weber used Twitter this week to explain how Folau's comments 'disgust' him.

Team harmony is bound to be affected if Folau continues to be treated by those above as a protected species. And if Rugby Australia, who are pushing an inclusive 'one big happy family' promotional line, continue to use Folau as a marketing tool, they immediately alienate a sector of its off-field and on-field support base. They also can be branded hypocrites.

Similarly, one can only ponder whether Rugby Australia would allow a player to get away with making inflammatory racist comments because of freedom of speech or fervent personal or traditional beliefs. Not for one second. So, is it worth Rugby Australia continuing to pay Folau the enormous bucks, at a time when it has announced a $3.8 million loss and with the threat of losing major sponsors due to his divisive comments?

No way in the world. If he continues carrying on that he can make more money overseas, then Rugby Australia should let him go and he can become someone else's problem.

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