Payto & Panda: Israel Folau is no menace to society, says Waratahs and Wallabies teammate Curtis Rona
CURTIS Rona has become the first Wallaby to publicly back under-fire star Israel Folau, saying his anti-gay comments were never meant to deliberately hurt people.
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CURTIS Rona has become the first Wallaby to publicly back under-fire star Israel Folau, saying his anti-gay comments were never meant to deliberately hurt people.
Folau has roundly endured criticism from the rugby community and general public after writing that gays were destined for hell unless they repented their sins last week, and in a follow-up meeting with Rugby Australia he refused to guarantee he would not post similar comments.
While there have been many sporting identities who have slammed Folau, there had been a distinct lack of public support from his Waratahs or Wallabies teammates until now.
“People who know Israel know there is no menace in him,’ Rona told us.
“Someone asked him a question and he gave an honest answer as to what he believes.
“I want him to know he is not alone.
“There are players putting their hands up, he definitely has that support.
“I believe 110 per cent in what the gospel says, that’s why you dedicate your life to Christianity.”
Folau has strong backing from the devout Christians in the Waratahs squad, and Rona believes the backlash against him has been over the top.
“There are a lot of people giving it to him, unnecessarily,’ Rona said.
“I know it’s a very touchy subject for people, it’s hard for people to comprehend that everyone has a different opinion.
“I just want everyone to know that I support Izzy, he means a lot to all Christians, and for him to be getting all this negative feedback is very undeserving.”
Rona’s support came as former Wallaby Digby Ioane appeared to rebuke Folau’s stance on social media by posting: “i dont care what people say, the God i grew up with loves everyone, no matter who you are. He made you the way you are with one mission only: LOVE. Dont let anyone tell you you are not worth it, believe me, you are worth [it] to God.”
Folau certainly will not back down from his religious conviction, and despite meeting with RA boss Raelene Castle and Waratahs chief executive Andrew Hore amid pressure from sponsors and fans, he is still contemplating further remarks regarding his beliefs.
It is a delicate situation because there is a strong contingent of players within Australian rugby who support Folau and would be outraged if he is sanctioned for expressing his beliefs.
Yet RA faces losing millions in sponsorship money and a backlash from paying punters if Folau adds more fuel to the fire.
While Castle said earlier this week that further discussions will be had with Folau, no times or dates have been set, and there’s even a suggestion that further talks between the camps will be done via phone or email.
The mood is tense.
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QUEENSLAND surprised their players before they played the Waratahs last year by placing traditionally designed heritage jerseys in the changerooms.
Reds players had no idea they’d be wearing the specially-designed strip until moments before kick-off.
When fans in Brisbane saw the team run out in the new jersey, they demanded to be able to buy them, to no avail - not enough had been manufactured.
After a barrage of demand, the Reds were able to begin selling the tops and they sold like hot cakes.
The Waratahs now find themselves in the same situation.
They’ll wear a heritage strip against the Reds at the SCG on Saturday, and fans have already been querying online as to how to purchase them. Again, not enough have been produced for retail sale but we’re tipping the Tahs will have to come to the party like the Reds did in 2017.
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IT was a homecoming of sorts for Aussie sevens player Nicky Price when he flew into the Gold Coast this week.
Price, who was called up to the squad as 13th man following James Stannard’s terrible head injury, was once an AFL player on the Sin City strip.
The Queenslander was one of the first rookies drafted by the Gold Coast Suns in 2008 after being poached from rugby as a schoolboy phenomenon.
Price was a freak young athlete, representing Queensland under 16 in cricket and AFL, winning the Australian long jump title at 15 and also playing for the Aussie schoolboys rugby side while at Nudgee.
AFL swooped - but only briefly.
Injuries and frustration saw the speedy wing leave Aussie Rules a year later and after stints in Sydney club rugby and four years in France, Price returned to Australia last year to give sevens a crack.
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ELLIA Green revealed an interesting tradition of the Australian womens sevens team in a promotional clip being shown by Commonwealth Games broadcaster Channel Seven.
“We have a rule that you never put the jersey on the ground,” Green said.
“It is never to be on the floor. You wear it with pride. Every time you put it on, it is basically like a green and yellow shield and you have to protect it.”
Green said every time she pulls on an Australian jersey it ‘gives me goosebumps’.
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REDS executives will be lobbying Queensland politician Kate Jones for an upgrade to Ballymore when she hosts them in her private box at the Commonwealth Games this weekend.
Queensland is desperate to get the ground redeveloped into a multi-sport facility to be shared by football, but essentially become the national training centre for Australia’s women’s XVs rugby.
They need $30 million for the project, and hope the Queensland government tips in $15 million, with the Federal government promising to match the state’s investment.
But amid the backlash against the NSW government’s stadium upgrade plans, this is a highly sensitive political subject.
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THE biggest school rugby carnival in the southern hemisphere will be played this weekend at
The Armidale School and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika will be among the spectators.
There’ll be 44 teams from 21 schools and 16 clubs competing in the under-12s tournament on Saturday and Sunday.
A total of 108 games will be played across the school’s eight ovals.
Originally published as Payto & Panda: Israel Folau is no menace to society, says Waratahs and Wallabies teammate Curtis Rona
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