Tonga suspend board to end boycott but no room for Israel Folau
Israel Folau’s controversial rugby league comeback looks dead in the water after Tonga voted to suspend their board, signalling the end of the player boycott for the likes of Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita.
NRL
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Tonga are a united rugby league nation once more — and Israel Folau remains in footy wilderness.
In a critical decision for both Tonga and the international game, the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) board have avoided both a financial and PR disaster by voting unanimously to oust the current Tongan board.
The toxic Tongan board’s removal — as a result of lost trust and support from its members — will officially end the boycott promise by 30 squad members, including stars Jason Taumalolo, Andrew Fifita and Will Hopoate, for the upcoming Oceania Cup matches against Australia and Great Britain.
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The vote was determined during a three-hour RLIF teleconference board meeting on Thursday night, which included RLIF directors NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and ARL chairman Peter Beattie.
Beattie described the decision to suspend the board led by controversial Tongan chairman George Koloamatangi and secretary William Edwards, as crucial for the international game’s bid to move forward.
“We were in this position because of the internal fighting in Tonga and the international game have to bite the bullet and provide some leadership,’’ Beattie told The Daily Telegraph.
“And while it won’t be popular in all quarters, we needed to get Tonga on the park both in the Oceania Cup and in the Nines.
“If we hadn’t of done that Tonga would’ve been missing and I think fans around Australia and the pacific would’ve been really unhappy about that.’’
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Beattie added that at no stage was the future of Israel Folau’s eligibility to play for Tonga discussed.
“Israel Folau’s name was never mentioned in the whole teleconference because this was never about him. It’s always been about ensuring Tonga are united on and off the field,’’ Beattie said.
In other words, the candle for Folau’s bid to return to rugby league has all but been snuffed out due to an understanding at the RLIF level that he won’t be included in any upcoming Tongan squads.
His bid to feature in either during next month’s World Nines tournament or the 13-a-side Test matches, still sits with the new interim Tongan board — the Tonga Sports Council (TSC) — which as revealed in The Daily Telegraph, is supported by the Tongan Prime Minister.
But there’s two major issues for Folau.
The first is that he was registered as player of Tonga by the now defunct board and the TSC have the power to rescind Folau’s registration.
And secondly, Tongan head coach Kristian Woolf will also have a major say in Folau’s comeback bid — if indeed the registration is accepted by the TSC.
Woolf and his entire coaching staff were sacked by the now suspended Koloamatangi and Edwards, who were supporting Folau to return to league for the first time in nine years.
However, it’s considered a certainty that the TSC will reinstate Woolf and his staff immediately.
If the TSC were to register Folau for selection for Tonga, Woolf is expected to lean heavily against picking Folau, 30, given the former Wallaby hasn’t played rugby league since he was 21.
Ahead of the fast-paced Nines and crucial Tests against the Kangaroos and Lions, the Tongan playing group and coaching staff would also have major concerns over Folau’s fitness levels given his last game of rugby union was on April 6 for the Waratahs.
Any consideration to welcome back Folau would also be based on respecting the current Tongan playing group, many of whom have made personal and financial sacrifices, to decide against playing State of Origin or for New Zealand and Australia, to represent their family’s heritage of Tonga.
The island nation’s rise as a rugby league powerhouse over the past three years, including their elevation to be the No.4 ranked team in the world is one of the code’s greatest international success stories.
Originally published as Tonga suspend board to end boycott but no room for Israel Folau