Wallabies World Cup: Israel Folau shows off gridiron skills at team camp in US
THE ARU may be happy to hear NFL scouts are scouring Australia for the next Jarryd Hayne. They’d have missed Izzy Folau right under their noses.
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​THE ARU might have been happy to hear that NFL scouts are scouring Australia to find the next Jarryd Hayne.
The reason being if they’re busy searching Australia, the Hayneplane spotters might have missed Wallabies superstars showing off their American football skills right under their noses this week.
In a pre-World Cup camp at the famous University of Notre Dame in Indiana, the Wallabies grabbed some gridiron balls after training this week and showed off their skills as quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Million-dollar man Israel Folau — an athlete who was on the Aussie hit list sent by Colin Scotts to US scouts — looked predictably impressive in running routes and taking clean catches. Quade Cooper and Matt Giteau even showed off their passing.
So did coach Michael Cheika sweep the training ground for NFL scouts thinking of poaching Folau to a fourth code?
“No, we are all on ten per cent commission, that’s what we’re doing,” Cheika joked on Thursday.
“Nah, look it’s been a lot of fun here. They’re all enjoying themselves, it’s a really different atmosphere for the guys and there’s just real freedom around campus. It’s been really good so far.”
Rest easy Wallabies fans — Folau isn’t going anywhere.
While saying recently he believed he had the skills to give American football a crack, the star no. 15 added he was under contract to the ARU until the end of 2018.
“It’s phenomenal to see what he (Hayne) has done in such a short period of time and it’s great to see,” Folau told Triple M recently.
If I wanted to do it, I’m sure I could. I’m locked in playing rugby for the next three years
Israel Folau 
“If I wanted to do it, I’m sure I could. I’m locked in playing rugby for the next three years.”
The Wallabies’ gridiron form at Notre Dame didn’t escape Hayne, who tweeted his praise to Cooper after seeing a video of him catching a pass.
“Nice route cuzonnnn,” Hayne tweeted, before wishing the Wallabies luck in their clash with the USA on Sunday morning in Chicago.
Ironically the game will be played at the famous Chicago Bears’ NFL venue, Soldier Field. But Folau won’t be playing, having been rested for the Test ahead of the World Cup.
* Wallabies v USA, Live, FoxSports 2, Sunday 9.30am
Originally published as Wallabies World Cup: Israel Folau shows off gridiron skills at team camp in US
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