Israel Folau’s Japan move may be off after team relegated

Israel Folau may not go to Japan at season’s end after the team he had signed for were relegated from the Top League.

Israel Folau: ‘It would’ve been nice to be playing in the Top League, that’s for sure.’ Picture: Mark Evans.

Wallabies fullback Israel Folau may not go to Japan at the end of the year after the team he had signed for were relegated from the Top League.

Folau signed a one-year contract with a one-year option, believed to be worth close to $2 million, with the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes, but did not play last season because of an ankle injury sustained at last year’s World Cup in England.

He must now decide whether he will take up the option for the second season with the Red Hurricanes, who will play in the second-tier Top West competition.

Three Springboks — second-rower Eben Etzebeth, five-eighth Handre Pollard and utility back Jesse Kriel — have already left the Red Hurricanes following their relegation. “It wasn’t concrete whether I was going or not regardless of whether they were in the top division or not,” Folau said. “The odds were in my favour whether or not I was going to go there. It’s still up in the air. Still need time to think about it. Nothing is sure at the moment.

“At the moment I’m not even thinking about it. My focus at the moment is on Super Rugby and what’s coming ahead.

“Obviously, it would’ve been nice to be playing in the Top League, that’s for sure, but for me it’s something I can’t control.”

Folau’s immediate concern is trying to help the NSW Waratahs beat the Chiefs in their do-or-die Super Rugby game in Sydney on Friday night.

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson is expected to make changes to the team that lost to the Crusaders in Christchurch last Friday, but Folau did not think he would be moved from outside centre to inside centre to cover for the loss of Kurtley Beale. “I don’t think that will happen,” Folau said. “I’ve been comfortable playing at 13.

“We have a few guys in the squad who can fill that 12 position. I’m just going out there to play the best that I can by doing my role for the team.”

Intriguingly, Folau did move to inside centre on a couple of occasions against the Crusaders and is likely to interchange again against the Chiefs with Dave Horwitz or Matt Carraro.

“A couple of times I lined up at 12 and then shifted out to 13,” Folau said. “It was more of a deception thing at the time. It wasn’t part of the game plan. I was just trying different things throughout the game.

“It seemed to work at the time, but for me it’s just about trying to expand my game and whether that’s off set piece or multiphase, it’s something I’m looking to try and do. I’m happy with how the experiment is going.”

Folau said the Waratahs needed to hold onto the ball or the Chiefs would punish them.

“Most Kiwi teams are good when you’re turning the ball over,” Folau said. “Most sides convert that into some type of points, whether it’s a try or not.

“We are well aware of that and we know how good the Chiefs are in terms of offloads and all that sort of stuff. Their support play is exceptional.

“We have to make sure we’re holding onto the ball and not giving away the pill easily.”

Meanwhile, Folau welcomed the selection of his former Brisbane Bronocs teammate Ben Te’o in Eddie Jones’s England squad to tour Australia next month.

“I’m quite happy for him,” Folau said. “I texted him last night. We used to live together years ago. It’s great to see him go over there and do well. I’m certainly very excited for his journey on that international stage.”