Israel Folau disappears from social media ahead of court date

Israel Folau’s erratic behaviour blindsided even his own financial backers on Monday when he deleted his social media accounts and then later reactivated them.

• Folau lodges claim against RA
• Radical preacher source of Folau’s meme
• Devout Catholic Nicole Scherzinger ‘hurt’ by Folau’s actions

Israel Folau’s erratic behaviour blindsided even his own financial backers on Monday when he deleted his social media accounts and then later reactivated them.

In a bizarre move, Folau pulled down his Instagram and Twitter pages, including the controversial April 10 post that led to his sacking and resulted in $2.2 million fundraised on his behalf.

Folau’s shock move stunned those advising him, who had no idea he planned to delete his accounts.

Without explanation both accounts were running again by 6.30pm, although his Twitter followers had disappeared.

Live stream All Blacks v Wallabies in The Bledisloe Cup on KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >

The blank page on Instagram. Picture: Instagram

Folau’s wife Maria also deleted her Twitter account, and had not reactivated it late on Monday evening.

Folau is pursuing a $10 million lawsuit against Rugby Australia and NSW Waratahs based on the right to freely express his religious beliefs, after having his $5.7 million contract terminated for breaching the professional players’ code of conduct.

During his code of conduct hearing, Folau said he would not stop posting material of a religious nature, and would give no guarantee that if reinstated by Rugby Australia, he’d refrain from posting material that could be deemed as vilification of the gay community or that which could financially jeopardise his employer.

Israel Folau’s Instagram has been taken down.

Yet his actions on Monday were at total odds to that of the man who’d sourced more than $2 million from the public for his fight for religious freedom, when he’d claimed he would never back down from expressing his beliefs.

Unsurprisingly, his Instagram and Twitter accounts with all of their previous posts were put back up.

However, there was no glitch in either social media forum and the loss of Twitter followers shows the account was deliberately deleted.

Folau’s case moves to a directions hearing in Melbourne’s Federal Circuit Court on Tuesday, though this is only to establish a timeline and venue for the case.

Folau’s legal team, led by barrister Stuart Wood QC, has taken the Federal Circuit Court route while RA is seeking to have the case heard in Sydney’s Federal Court.

Folau says he would still like to be playing for the Wallabies. Picture: William West/AFP

The directions hearing will establish which court will hear the matter and a date, likely to start later this year.

Folau’s actions on Monday came just two days after the Wallabies scored a record Bledisloe Cup win over the All Blacks.

After Folau deleted his accounts, The Daily Telegraph asked the Australian Christian Lobby if they were aware of his decision, if they supported him, and how their financial donors felt. Calls were also made to Mr Wood, but neither responded, and then Folau’s accounts were reinstated.

The former Wallabies player wants $10 million in damages and his contract reinstated after he was sacked for a post about people who will go to hell unless they repent.

Folau and Rugby Australia failed to reach an agreement at a mediation hearing in June.

Originally published as Israel Folau disappears from social media ahead of court date