Israel Folau’s flying visit wows students at St Columban’s College

WHEN Year 10 student Thomas Finck told his classmates that Wallaby star Israel Folau was dropping by as guest coach, they scoffed at him.

Rugby Great Israel Folau at St Columbans College Caboolture Year 10 student Thomas Finck won a bread competition to have Israel train them. Pic Glenn Barnes Story Jim Tucker

WHEN Year 10 student Thomas Finck told his St Columban’s College classmates that Israel Folau was dropping by as guest coach, they scoffed at him.

“Actually, they laughed for 10 minutes and figured I was pulling another joke,” Finck, 15, said.

Finck had the last laugh in a big way today when the high-profile Wallabies star was the magnet on his school oval at Caboolture, a 45-minute drive north of Brisbane.

Folau threw out coaching tips on the run at a clinic, joined a mass game of touch rugby and answered every question thrown at him by the First XV in a candid 10-minute quizzing.

It’s candid when these question come thick and fast from the fearless young faces: “Union or league?”, “How much to you earn?” “How many girlfriends have you had?”

Israel Folau and Thomas Finck at St Columban’s College. Picture: Glenn Barnes

Finck and co couldn’t quite believe it as they broke bread with Folau at a BBQ lunch as well.

Finck’s mum Katrina had actually pulled off the coup in her son’s name by entering and winning the coaching session in a competition run by the Wonder White bread company.

“I’ve got to thank mum. She keeps entering competitions as a hobby. She definitely got chocolates and flowers for Mother’s Day,” Finck added.

The rugby bloodlines at the 950-strong school flow strongly.

Sam Hicks, Liam Ireland and Jordan Tupai-Ui have all won selection in the Combined Secondary Schools squad for the upcoming Queensland Schoolboys championships.

Year 10 twins Elijah and Mosiah Kefu, 14, are bluebloods as cousins of 1999 World Cup-winning Wallaby Toutai Kefu.

Israel Folau with the students at St Columban’s College in Caboolture. Picture: Glenn Barnes

For Folau, the flying visit from Sydney on his day off from the NSW Waratahs training week was well spent.

“If I wasn’t a professional sportsman or seen that as a career I probably would have worked with kids in a teaching way,” Folau said.

“I always enjoy these days. I remember senior footballers coming to my schools and the impact when I was a kid myself.”

Folau towered over Finck when he gifted him a pair of his size 14 boots which he duly autographed as a prized memento.

“I think he could fit both feet in one of them,” Folau quipped.

Finck might just have a chance of fitting into them today because he was feeling 10-feet tall.

Originally published as Israel Folau’s flying visit wows students at St Columban’s College