‘Scrubbed from history’ but Israel Folau could be welcomed back into fold by Rugby Australia
Rugby Australia’s CEO and former Wallaby Phil Waugh has suggested he would be willing to meet Israel Folau and mend the relationship that famously broke down in 2019.
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One of the most bitter relationship breakdowns in Australian rugby history could be on the cusp of repair, as Rugby Australia welcomed the chance to meet with Israel Folau five years after he was sensationally sacked and then took them to court.
While Folau can never play for the Wallabies again due to World Rugby eligibility laws, former teammates had questioned why he’d been “scrubbed from history”.
Folau’s $5 million contract was terminated by RA in 2019 for posting a religious meme on social media that was homophobic and did not support the organisation’s commitment to inclusion, and he was prevented from playing in the World Cup that year.
“The saddest thing for me is that they bring up all these records, and they almost scrub his name out,” said Sekope Kepu, one of Folau’s former Wallabies and Waratahs teammates, and close friend.
“You never hear people acknowledging what a special player he was. It’s like he didn’t play for the Wallabies.
“We’re done and dusted from what happened, it’s a new administration. I am such a passionate Wallaby, and Aussie through and through, and it’s sad that I’ve given so much, and to see the way the organisation has carried on, and he paved the way for a lot of young guys.
“I still remember he went and met with Joseph Suaalii’s parents when Aussie rugby was trying to get him, Izzy went to Penrith to see him and give him advice, and look what’s happened, I reckon that kid wouldn’t have looked up to anyone but Izzy.
“But it’s like they’ve rubbed his name out of history.
“He has gone through some tough times, but he has come out the other side strong.”
But in a major sign that RA is willing to offer an olive branch to Folau, despite his court case ending with a reported multimillion dollar settlement, RA chief executive Phil Waugh welcomed the chance to discuss any issues Folau has.
“I would be happy to meet and talk with Israel,” Waugh told this masthead.
“Israel was one of the great players of modern Australian rugby.”
In an interview with The Australian this week, three-time John Eales medallist Folau said: “In terms of the Wallabies, I’ve never shut that door”.
But that is not possible because in 2022 Folau chose to change his Test allegiance to Tonga.
Under World Rugby laws, a player can only change his allegiance once.
Kepu, who played 110 Tests for the Wallabies – the most capped tighthead prop this country has produced and ninth on the all-time list of capped Australian players – was one of Folau’s biggest supporters during his tumultuous sacking and ensuing court case.
He says the Wallabies’ poor effort at the 2019 World Cup, when they were knocked out in the quarter-final by England, could have been aided by Folau.
“They lost more than a player, they lost someone very influential,” said Kepu, now working as forwards coach of third division Japanese team Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks, with Folau playing for Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks.
“The boys still talk about it now in rugby circles, everyone played so many seasons and he just played five-and-a-half, I’ve spoken to players all over the world and all I hear is that he’s the best player they played with.
“And I say hands down he is the best player I ever played with.
“I know him really well, I’ve caught up with him and Wycliff Palu a couple of times in Japan and it’s the same Izzy, big heart, strong about his beliefs.
“I’ve spoken to Kiwi boys, South Africans, at the 2019 World Cup, everyone was licking their lips when he got sacked because now they were going to kick us high balls, that’s what all the other teams did, kick us high balls.
“Players have told me that the aura he carried was something that was always in the back of the opposition’s minds. They were quietly cheering he wasn’t there because they know the impact he would’ve made.
“If I look back and reflect on that campaign, it wasn’t the same, there was something missing.”
Originally published as ‘Scrubbed from history’ but Israel Folau could be welcomed back into fold by Rugby Australia