Tupou warns of religion backlash

Taniela Tupou says all Pacific Island players may have to be sacked for stating their Christian beliefs.

Wallabies and Queensland Reds prop Taniela Tupou. Picture: AAP

Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou has come out in full support of Samu Kerevi after his Queensland Reds captain felt compelled to apologise for offending people with his Easter message.

And in an ominous twist to the controversy surrounding Israel Folau, Tupou has warned that all the Pasifika rugby players feel passionately about their Christian faith. “Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs.

“I will never apologise for my faith and what I believe in, religion had (sic) got nothing to do with rugby anyway.”

Tupou posted the comments on Facebook while highlighting the story run in The Australian yesterday that Kerevi had felt the need to apologise for his Instagram post of Holy Thursday in which he had thanked Jesus for dying on the cross for him. But in a follow-up message, which he sent of his own accord, Kerevi appeared to backtrack slightly.

“I apologise to anyone that I have offended in giving praise to our God on a weekend that we take off to celebrate his Sacrifice for you and I,” Kerevi wrote. “I will always give praise to him. To the media, it’s all love brothers & sisters.”

Should Rugby Australia sack Israel Folau over his social media posts?

Posted by The Australian on Wednesday, 1 May 2019

The escalation of the Folau saga could not have come at a worse time for Rugby Australia, which already is under intense fire because of its plans to terminate the triple John Eales Medallist’s four-year, $4 million contract. A Code of Conduct tribunal, which Folau has called for, will be held in Sydney on Saturday and, if needed, Sunday.

Kerevi had “liked” Folau’s original Instagram post of April 10 in which he warned drunks, adulterers, homosexuals, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idiolators that they were going to Hell unless they repented. He subsequently has told his rugby employers that while he has a deep love for Jesus, he has no intention of forcing his beliefs onto others.

He was baited after posting his message on Holy Thursday. “I hope you don’t support Israel’s comments, Samu,” one reader responded.

He replied to one reader’s claim that “God is a completely homosexual man” by saying: “I’m sorry you believe that but he is a loving God. God bless mate.”

Yesterday, however, Kerevi sought to explain his “apology” in a social media post. “I appreciate the kind messages from everyone. But to be clear I’m not apologising for my faith in Jesus Christ my saviour. God will always come first in my life and many other professional rugby players. Today I felt things were taken out of context in regard to certain articles. I do not feel obliged to apologise to people because of the situation happening right now with a brother of mine.”

Yet it is clear that the controversy sparked by Folau’s failure to make good on his promise to Rugby Australia that he would not post his religious beliefs on social media is starting to ensnare innocent players.

While no Pasifika player has come out in support of Folau, their silence to date should not be interpreted as full support of Rugby Australia’s actions.

Yet Tupou’s post suggests that there is also growing hostility within sections of the team for the way Folau has been treated.