Sunwolves acting head coach Tony Brown says he agrees with officials that Israel Folau caused Peter O’Mahony fall

SUNWOLVES coach Tony Brown has added spice to Saturday night’s Waratahs’ clash by saying no-one in Australia will dare say Folau was in the wrong

THE SUNWOLVES acting head coach Tony Brown has lit the fuse for an explosive showdown with the Waratahs on Saturday night after saying he agreed with the World Rugby officials who found Israel Folau guilty of flipping Irish captain Peter O’Mahony.

While the Waratahs are still seething over the one-match suspension Folau incurred over the incident, Brown said he wasn’t buying into the notion that the Australian fullback had acted squeaky clean.

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“It’s definitely a grey area. I did see the footage and he did play the man in the air — no-one seems to say that in Australia,” Brown told The Daily Telegraph.

“But for me, he clearly missed the ball and grabbed the guy’s shoulder and that caused him to land on his back.”

Israel Folau copped a one-match ban for this incident involving Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony.

A former All Black, Brown did concede that he thought Folau’s ban was excessive but he didn’t step away from his belief that he deserved some punishment for his action, saying he thought the French Pascal Gauzerere got the balance exactly right when he sent him to the sin bin.

“He wasn’t innocent in the whole thing,” Brown said. “The one week suspension maybe was a little bit harsh so I think maybe just a yellow card.”

Brown’s provocative comments on the contentious suspension is sure to add extra spice to Saturday night’s match at Allianz Stadium when Folau makes his return to Super Rugby and launches himself into the fray.

Adamant he did nothing wrong, Folau has vowed to continue contesting the ball in the air despite incurring the wrath of the judiciary and has called on World Rugby officials to clarify the rules so players know exactly what they can and can’t do.

Folau has also been given the full backing of the Waratahs staff with coach Daryl Gibson telling his No. 15 that he wanted him to stick with his natural game.

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Originally published as Sunwolves acting head coach Tony Brown says he agrees with officials that Israel Folau caused Peter O’Mahony fall