Israel Folau sacked: Rugby Australia hands down sanction

Raelene Castle says Rugby Australia had no choice but to end Israel Folau’s career in Australia over a social media post.

Israel Folau learns his fate. Picture: Brett Costello

Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle says the organisation has been left with no choice over their decision to tear up Israel Folau’s four-year, $4 million contract.

“Rugby must be inclusive of all,” Ms Castle said at RA headquarters in Sydney today.

“We want to stress that this outcome is a painful situation for the game”

“It wasn’t Rugby Australia that put us in this situation. It was Mr Folau that put us in this situation.”

The Waratahs and Wallabies fullback has 72 hours to appeal the ruling with a different three-member RA panel, however, the 30-year-old is reportedly determined to take the dispute directly to the Supreme Court, such is his conviction that he is being wrongly persecuted for expressing his religious beliefs.

“Rugby Australia did not choose to be in this situation, but Rugby Australia is adamant Israel Folau, with his actions, left us with no other choice,’’ Ms Castle said of Folau’s termination because of his controversial social media posts about gays and other so-called “sinners” he believes are destined for hell.

“Our clear message to all rugby fans today is that we need to stand by our values and the qualities of inclusion, passion, integrity, discipline, respect and teamwork,” Ms Castle said.

“This has been an extremely challenging period for Rugby and this issue has created an unwanted distraction in an important year for the sport and for the Wallabies team. “

The panel of John West QC, Kate Eastman SC and John Boultbee SC determined that Folau’s infamous Instagram post last month constituted a high-level breach of the RA code of conduct.

“I’ve communicated directly with the players to make it clear that Rugby Australia fully supports their right to their own beliefs and nothing that has happened changes that,” Ms Castle said.

“But when we are talking about inclusiveness in our game, we’re talking about respecting differences as well.

“We have many players that quote the Bible frequently on our social media platforms … that’s an expression of their religious views in a respectful way,” Ms Castle said.

“Rugby is not a place where someone puts their view or positions in front of everyone else’s.

“Inclusion means respecting differences, she said.

“When we say rugby is a game for all, we mean it. People need to feel safe in our game regardless of their gender, race, background, religion or sexuality”

Folau was sacked this morning. Ms Castle has not spoken with him directly.

Folau expected to sue

Israel Folau is expected to launch action against Rugby Australia in the Supreme Court.

As revealed by The Daily Telegraph, Folau will skip the option of a second code of conduct hearing and instead head straight to court, believing he has been unfairly dismissed due to his religious belief.

The panel of John West QC, Kate Eastman SC, and John Boultbee AM had already found Folau guilty of a high-level breach of RA’s professional players’ code of conduct for his religious post on April 10, and handed down their verdict that his actions warranted termination on Friday.

Israel Folau sacked.

Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle to confirm his contract termination at 3pm AEDT.

73 Tests.
37 Tries
3 x John Eales Medals
Super Rugby’s greatest tryscorer (60) - in his last game for the Waratahs
2014 Super Rugby champion

— Christy Doran (@ChristypDoran) May 17, 2019

Folau is so resolute in his belief that he’s being religiously persecuted, he will brush the option of a second code of conduct hearing to appeal a termination decision, and instead head straight to court.

Folau has already rejected a $1 million settlement offer by Rugby Australia, and it’s now understood no amount of money will convince him to drop the case and walk away.

FOLAU’S SPORTING CAREER

NRL: 2007-2010: Games 91. Tries 73

Melbourne Storm (2007-08). Aged 17, became Melbourne Storm’s youngest NRL debutant. Equal top try-scorer in NRL in his debut season and was 2007 Dally M Rookie of the Year.

Brisbane Broncos (2009-10)

State of Origin for Queensland: (2008-10): Games 5. Tries 5. State of Origin series winner 2008, 2009, 2010.

Australia (2007-09): Tests: 8. Tries: 6. Aged 18 years and 194 days, Folau became youngest to play a Test match for Australia (versus New Zealand, October 14, 2007)

AFL

Greater Western Sydney (2011-12): Games 13. Goals 2. Signed on with GWS for four years, reportedly for $6 million, but quit the code after two seasons

RUGBY UNION

NSW Waratahs (2013-19): Games: 96. Tries: 60, Super Rugby championship winner 2014.

Australia (2013-18): Tests: 73. Tries: 37 Rugby Championship winner 2015

Folau won Rugby Australia’s John Eales Medal, for Wallabies’ player of the year, a record three times (2014, 2015,2017).

He equalled Lote Tuqiri’s record of most tries by a Wallaby in a calendar year with 10 in his maiden season in 2013.

Folau is equal third on Wallabies’ all-time try-scoring list, alongside Adam Ashley-Cooper, behind only Chris Latham and David Campese.

— with AAP