Payto & Panda: Devout Christian and All Blacks legend Michael Jones urges Israel Folau to show ’more love’

ALL Blacks legend Michael Jones, who refused to play on Sundays because he is such a strong believer in God, has joined the chorus against Israel Folau, urging the Wallabies star to ‘express yourself respectfully.’

Michael Jones has some words of wisdom for Israel Folau.

HE is famously known as the All Black legend who wouldn’t play Tests on Sundays because it was against his devout Christian beliefs.

But even Michael Jones says he’d stop short of expressing the same sort of views as Israel Folau on homosexuality being a sin that sends gay people to Hell.

Jones said he counted Folau as a friend but that his Christian faith should be built on “love and grace” and that the gay community are “integral in our lives”.

Michael Jones has some words of wisdom for Israel Folau.s

“I do know Israel and he’s a good man,” Jones said.

“He’s got a good heart, and a strong faith. He’s a friend.

“At the same time, I recognise that, in terms of my faith, it’s very much a faith built on love and grace.

“There are members of my family from those (gay) communities, and we love them. They’re integral in our lives and a big part of who we are, and I’m sure Israel has that scenario too. We have big families and such diverse families.

“Being able to express yourself is important, but doing it respectfully, and I suppose with wisdom. There needs to be a lot of love and a lot of grace, particularly as Christians.”

His comments have the potential to be very influential on Folau, who looks up to the All Blacks’ great.

New Zealand rugby players and former Wallaby halfback Nic White have spoken against Folau’s comments but current Australian rugby players have been more mindful to show support to their teammate and friend - while stressing they don’t agree with his views.

Waratahs and Wallabies teammate Bernard Foley was the latest to line up behind Folau on Thursday.

“I support Israel. We don’t all believe the same. That’s his beliefs, his religious beliefs. For me, I have had a lot of chats to Izzy this week. He is a teammate of mine, he is a really good friend. He is a guy who I have supported from day one after he arrived here from his AFL stint,” Foley said.

“He has been nothing but a good friend to me. He is caring and kind and he is a good teammate to play with.

“We don’t all have the same beliefs. It has probably been a topic of getting that diversity out in beliefs. There is diversity within teams, there is diversity within corporations. There is diversity in society.”

Israel Folau has come under serious fire for his comments this week.

Allianz to get spruce up

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ALLIANZ Stadium will be entirely returfed after the Waratahs game ​against the Lions on Friday night​ in a $750,000 bid to freshen up the field ahead of some big events coming up at the venue.

The Allianz surface takes a pounding at the Sydney Sevens each year and with signs of wear and tear starting to show, the SCG Trust has decided to lay down a whole new field ahead of next week’s ANZAC Day rugby league game.

We’re told a staff of 20 will work around the clock to rip up the old turf and lay down 7000 square metres of grass, which is grown year around for the SCG Trust at a turf farm in Pitt Town.

The three huge events on the radar are the ANZAC Day clash, a potential A-League grand final next month and the Wallabies’ Test against Ireland in June.

Long day ahead of Tahs

​IT’S the biggest day of the year for the Super W comp but even playing in a grand final isn’t enough to get a day off work for some of the Waratahs Womens team.

Veteran star Ash Hewson said some of her teammates had to put in a few hours prior to their 4.45pm (EST) kick-off.

New Wallaroos coach Dwayne Nestor didn’t want to get off the fence when asked who would win - he tipped a draw - but Nestor believes the national side will be the true beneficiary of the inaugural Super W season, such has been the emergence of new talent and ever-rising standards of senior stars.

“Watching the games so far, I am pretty excited. The potential we have got in the girls we have to select for the Wallaroos is pretty high, and what we can potentially produce in the World Cup in 2021,” Nestor said.

“The experience gained will be absolutely immense. What we have set up at the moment is a great stepping stone to producing a really competitive Wallaroos. Super W is awesome for that. The girls are playing full games, week-in, week-out, they acting like professionals and learning how to be professionals.”

​The Wallaroos are expected to take on New Zealand again this season but negotiations to bring Ireland’s womens team down in June for a Test have fallen through.

Dwayne Nestor has been impressed with the Super W competition.

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Fou wings in back to club rugby

UNLUCKY speedster Pama Fou is back running around in club rugby having been released by Melbourne Rebels.

Fou infamously missed out on the Rio Olympics in 2016 when he slipped in the shower and suffered a season-ending knee injury.

He switched from sevens to XVs and signed with the Rebels only to suffer another major knee injury.

Now he’s returned with Eastwood in the Shute Shield, and this weekend opposes former Australian sevens teammate Cam Clark at outside centre.

Fou is contemplating a return to sevens while working to win a new professional contract.

Smith one of the best: Thorn

GEORGE SMITH makes his long-awaited Super Rugby return this weekend, and he’s received heavy praise from Queensland coach Brad Thorn.

The pair encountered each other many times in Bledisloe Cup clashes and Super games, and Thorn said only three other open side flankers he’d seen in his playing career measured up to Smith; Richie McCaw, Thierry Dusautoir, and David Pocock.

Brad Thorn rates George Smith very highly.

Taking in new dimensions

​THE Waratahs will no doubt keep a close eye on the success of Sydney FC’s plans to realign the pitch at the SCG from north-south to east-west when the​y play games there next season.

The Tahs got a crowd of 15,000 for their clash with the Reds but we’ve heard from plenty of people who felt the SCG just isn’t a good fit for rugby anymore. The new Bradman Stand, which is a Members area and was reasonably full, was effectively situated behind the goalposts.

The field also felt too far away for a majority of fans.

But the Waratahs are also looking at playing some games at the SCG when Allianz Stadium is rebuilt, so what can be done?

One solution being looked at is copying the Sydney FC plan to flip the field from the regular north-south to east-west.

That would have the new members Bradman stand positioned on the sideline.

Sydney FC marked out the pitch to show how it will look for a recent members function. The in-goal would have to be cut back a bit to make a rugby field, apparently.

They didn’t win gold but the Aussie women’s sevens team still left a big impression.

Huge boost for women

AUSTRALIA’S women’s sevens team may have fallen agonisingly short of the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games last weekend, but their gutsy efforts could land a multi-million windfall.

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was so impressed by the spectacle and drama of the final against New Zealand, she met with Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle on Thursday to offer support for women’s rugby.

It is hoped the Queensland government will tip in $15 million - a figure to be matched by the Federal government - to revamp Ballymore into Australian women’s rugby’s high performance centre.

Originally published as Payto & Panda: Devout Christian and All Blacks legend Michael Jones urges Israel Folau to show ’more love’