Why Folau’s World Cup absence won’t make a difference

Israel Folau’s absence won’t make the slightest difference to the Wallabies World Cup chances. In fact Michael Cheika’s struggling team might end up having a better chance without him.

Michael Cheika with Israel Folau. Picture: Getty

• Folau terminated: Rugby to sack Wallaby star

• No thanks: NRL shuts door on Folau return

• Watch: Folau’s war on Christmas, Easter

If you’re one of the mug punters who reckoned Australia had a chance of winning this year’s World Cup when Israel Folau was part of the team, don’t go throwing your ticket away just because the homophobic fullback is no longer welcome.

The harsh reality is that the absence of the aloof Folau won’t make the slightest difference to the Wallabies chances of capturing the Webb Ellis Cup — and Michael Cheika’s struggling team might even end up having a better chance without him.

Of all the myths that have been said and written about the maligned Folau in the last year since he started his social media rants against gays, the biggest fallacy of the lot is that he can’t be sacked because he’s irreplaceable and Australia can’t win without him.

Michael Cheika with Israel Folau. Picture: Getty

That’s just rubbish. Folau has been a very good player for the Wallabies for a long time — winning the John Eales Medal three times — but irreplaceable? Not even close. And plenty would argue that the now 30-year-old hasn’t ever really lived up to the hype and the massive salary that he’s always commanded.

At the last World Cup — when he had the perfect chance to shine on the biggest stage of all — he was a flop, failing to score a single try in the tournament even though the Wallabies made it all the way to the final.

And last year, he committed one of the dumbest acts by a Wallaby in recent history, when he went himself instead of passing to the unmarked Bernard Foley as Australia lost at home to Argentina for the first time ever.

At his best, he’s been a marvel to watch.

He’s probably the best catcher of high balls that Australian rugby has ever seen, and when he gets into space he’s hard to stop, but his flaws make old timers wince.

Legendary fullback Matt Burke.

He doesn’t have a kicking game and he doesn’t link with backline as other great fullbacks in the past have.

Matthew Burke — who wore the No. 15 jersey when the Wallabies last won the World Cup in 1999 — said what every rugby fan in Australia has been secretly thinking for years when he said that Folau was a good player “but he's not a great player.”

The naysayers will now say Australia can’t win the World Cup without him, but would they have win it with him? On current form, no, and he’s actually one of the easiest players in the Wallabies to replace.

There’s already plenty of exciting young outside backs ready to take his spot, and the best news is that Michael Cheika has already given them a taste of Test rugby. Perhaps the Wallabies coach a premonition he needed a Plan B.

Dane Haylett-Petty is a ready-made replacement. Picture: Getty

Dane Haylett-Petty played fullback in the last five of Australia’s Rugby Championship matches last season, forcing Folau to the wing, and was man of the match in the miracle comeback against the Pumas in Salta.

The Brumbies’ fullback Tom Banks also made a huge impression in his limited opportunities last season, as did Jack Maddocks on the wing. Now he’s the leading tryscorer in Super Rugby this season.

Then there’s Jordan Petaia and Tony Puli coming up through the ranks and enough experienced heads around including Marika Koroibete and Kurtley Beale to ensure that Folau won’t be missed as much as everyone might have thought.