Michael Cheika: ‘Disrespectful’ Folau not welcome in World Cup team
Israel Folau has just 24 hours to respond to Rugby Australia’s breach notice after Wallabies coach Michael Cheika revealed it would be impossible to pick the superstar.
Israel Folau has been issued with a breach notice that could end his rugby career and follows comments from Wallabies coach Michael Cheika that the superstar’s comments made it impossible to pick him.
A statement released on Monday afternoon said that Foalu had committed a high-level breach of the Professional Players’ Code of Conduct warranting termination of his employment contract.
Folau had 48 hours (from 3pm Monday) to accept the sanction or have the matter referred to a Code of Conduct hearing.
Rugby Australia Chief Executive, Raelene Castle said: “At its core, this is an issue of the responsibilities an employee owes to their employer and the commitments they make to their employer to abide by their employer’s policies and procedures and adhere to their employer’s values.
“Following the events of last year, Israel was warned formally and repeatedly about the expectations of him as player for the Wallabies and NSW Waratahs with regards to social media use and he has failed to meet those obligations. It was made clear to him that any social media posts or commentary that is in any way disrespectful to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action.
“All professional Rugby players in Australia are bound by the Code of Conduct and there is a process in place for any disciplinary matter. We appreciate that this particular matter will attract significant interest, but due process must be followed.”
“We appreciate this matter will attract significant interest but due process must be followed,” Castle told reporters.
“Israel had 48 hours to accept the sanction or have the matter sent to a code of conduct hearing.
“It was made clear to Israel in writing and verbally when I met with him last year that any social media posts or commentary that in any way were disrespectful to people because of their sexuality would result in disciplinary action.”
CHEIKA: “WE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO PICK HIM”
Of all the people Israel Folau insulted with his latest social media posts, none are feeling more betrayed than his teammates and coaches.
As far as the Wallabies and the Waratahs are concerned, they don’t know if they want him back, no matter how good a player he is.
For them, Folau has committed the cardinal sin of going against the basic ethos of rugby, that the team is always more important than the individual.
Warned once before for posting homophobic comments, an unrepentant Folau doubled down and did it again, knowing full well the knock on effect it would have for his teammates and the sport that paid him millions.
“Getting out in that disrespectful manner publicly is not what our team is about,” Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said.
“When you play in the gold jersey we represent everyone in Australia.
“Everyone that is out there supporting us, we don’t pick and choose.”
These are already testing times for Cheika with the start of the World Cup just five months away. The Wallabies have been struggling since making the 2015 final so Cheika desperately wants to unite all his players for the greater good and Folau has become a divisive figure.
“The simplicity of it is that inside rugby the team is king and that’s what we need,” he said.
“We need our teams to be focusing on training, footy, together. Everyone needs to give a little bit of themselves to get that outcome.”
Cheika joined the Wallabies and Waratahs captain Michael Hooper and the NSW coach Daryl Gibson at a news conference to express their collective disappointment at Folau’s rogue actions.
They went together as a symbol of unity, with Hooper reinforcing Cheika’s comments that some players were unsure whether they could play alongside Folau again.
“You’re probably going to find a situation where other people may have varying views,” Hooper said. “Like was said before, in this current state and being here and talking about this as a rugby player, it makes it hard, it makes it difficult.”
It’s highly unlikely that Folau will play again anyway after being issued with a breach of conduct recommending his termination.
He’s already stated that he doesn’t care that much anyway though not to Cheika, who tried calling Folau several times but hasn’t had a response.
“I felt that I need to talk to him about why and I haven’t had that chance as yet,” Cheika said.
“Everyone’s allowed to believe what they believe. Teams are made up of those, different types of characters — always the joker and the quiet guy, the bookworm.
“There’s all those guys, they’re in the dressing room, they make up a different contingent of players but when we bring them together underneath one banner, that stands for something.”
For the remaining Wallabies and the Waratahs, the game will go on without Folau, with NSW facing an early test of life without their superstar fullback when they host the Rebels at the SCG on Saturday.
“We’ve got to galvanise, pull together and really step up,” Gibson said.
“I think it’s a great opportunity. During these times a team either does that, they either pull together or they fall apart, and I know the character of the men in our side and that’s what we’re looking for.”
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