Israel Folau church scandal rocks rugby

Wallabies are ‘in utter disbelief’ after mum of Jordan Petaia’s admission.

Helen Petaia, right, the mother of Wallabies player Jordan Petaia, centre, and his father. Picture: Instagram

Former teammates of sacked rugby star Israel Folau are reportedly in a state of “utter disbelief” after the mother of rising Wallabies star Jordan Petaia admitted she infiltrated Folau’s family church because she had concerns about his religious beliefs.

Helen Petaia revealed to the Herald Sun on Wednesday that she had been the anonymous rugby union mother who had gone undercover to expose Folau’s “born again” beliefs, leaking to the media in July.

One source close to the former Wallaby told The Australian that Folau had been “inundated with messages of support” from his ­former teammates following Ms Petaia’s outing.

The source said many of the messages expressed players’ disappointment and “utter disbelief” that Petaia’s mother had gone to such “extreme lengths”, going to the media to warn of Folau’s ­religious beliefs and her concerns about his influence on young rugby players.

Ms Petaia responded to the controversy on Wednesday by saying she was told she going to hell by Israel Folau’s father, and that it was “sad” her identity had been exposed days after her son’s Test debut at the World Cup.

Eni Folau at Kenthurst Uniting Church. Picture: Seven News

Helen Petaia, the mother of Wallabies player Jordan Petaia. Picture: Supplied

“I have no doubt many Christian parents would be concerned if their child was to become entangled in the false teachings and religious practices Israel Folau endorses,” she told The Daily Telegraph. “There are many Christian leaders who agree with my assessment of the Folau church.

“ (Folau’s) father Eni told me to my face I am going to hell.”

Ms Petaia’s revelations in July led to the sacking of Folau’s 20-year-old cousin Josiah after she contacted him on Facebook under the fake name, Josie Benc, quizzing him about the teachings of the Truth of Jesus Christ church, run by Israel Folau’s ­father.

Ms Petaia leaked part of their Facebook exchange, including Josiah Folau’s strong anti-Catholic sentiments, which triggered his dismissal from his job as a teacher and boarding house supervisor at St Gregory’s College, a Catholic private school in southwest ­Sydney.

Ms Petaia told the Herald Sun she had approached Josiah Folau only after Israel Folau’s very ­public dumping by Rugby ­Australia for his “go to hell” social media posts damned all “sinners”, including adulterers and homosexuals.

Former Wallabies star Israel Folau (left) and Jordan Petaia, who will play his second match for the Wallabies against Georgia on Friday night.

She claimed she had been concerned Israel was being championed by the Australian Christian Lobby as a model Christian and she felt she wanted to expose the truth about the off-brand of Christianity his father was preaching.

But insiders from the Folau camp say the timing of Ms ­Petaia’s claims had escalated an already “very ugly legal battle” for Israel Folau into an “absolute nightmare”.

They say Israel Folau had only just lodged his unfair dismissal claim against RA in the Fair Work Commission, and Ms Petaia’s claims had been “incendiary”.

“It made them (the Folaus) look like fire-and-brimstone extremists,” one insider told The Australian.

They also questioned the timing of Jordan Petaia’s selection to the World Cup squad in August.

Jordan Petaia scores a try during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group D game between Australia and Uruguay.

“Was his mother in cahoots with RA doing the dirty work on Folau,” the insider said. “This is quite astounding and improper behaviour by his mother.”

Jordan Petaia is well cocooned from the controversy, travelling on Thursday from Tokyo to Shizuoka where the Wallabies will play Georgia on Friday in their final World Cup pool match.

He made his Test debut on Saturday and his selection against the Georgians is a fair indication that he is being prepared to fill a wing spot in the quarter-final against ­either ­England or France.