Waratah team mates support Folau — but not his views

Waratahs players want to distance themselves from under fire rugby union star Israel Folau’s controversial comments, according to a team mate.

Wallabies players Nick Phipps (left) and Israel Folau celebrate their win in the Rugby Championship, Bledisloe Cup match between the Australian Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium last year.

Waratahs players want to distance themselves from under fire rugby union star Israel Folau’s controversial comments, according to a team mate.

A fortnight ago Folau sensationally declared on Instagram that gay people will go to hell.

Halfback Nick Phipps, who will next weekend wed Macquarie banker Ebony Bamford, says as far as he is concerned love is love.

“It is definitely something Israel is very passionate about. He is a very religious man,” Phipps says.

“With regards to his views and beliefs, we as a group support him in terms of his religion but those views are certainly not something that is shared among us as a playing group.”

Israel Folau and Nick Phipps get ready for a Wallabies training session at Allianz Stadium, Moore Park in 2016. Picture: Gregg Porteous

A Queen’s Park resident, Phipps has only recently returned to the field after a couple of months recovering from a nasty calf injury.

He says while he can’t speak for everyone, most of the other players want to move on from the saga while making it clear they don’t agree with Folau’s stance.

“The thing with rugby union is there are people in the team from so many different worlds,” Phipps says.

“We’ve all got different views and feelings on things but we all have a common goal and that’s to win premierships.”