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
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.
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