Inside story: how Israel Folau's legal team played Rugby Australia

A PR campaign that turned a weak hand into a strong suit proved pivotal in the battle to extract a huge payment and apology from rugby authorities.

Rugby player Israel Folau with his legal team in Melbourne. From left to right: Eddy Gisonda, Stuart Wood AM QC (seated), Chris Newman, George Haros, Nico Burmeister, Israel Folau (seated), Michael Harty, Jason Aldworth, Stella Gehrckens. Paul Jeffers

Aaron PatrickSenior correspondent

Dec 21, 2019 – 12.00am

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The document that would propel Israel Folau into court – and quite possibly a debate over God in the highest court in the land – was marked "Privileged and Strictly Confidential".

Before one the greatest Australian rugby players in a generation had even been sacked, Melbourne solicitor George Haros had some prescient, private advice: the contest would be fought as much in the emotion-driven hearts of rugby fans as in the cold courtrooms of the legal system.