No tizzy over Izzy, insists All Black

RUGBY UNION AS Israel Folau continued his social media crusade for sinners to “repent” yesterday, All Blacks rival TJ Perenara hit back by saying he wants to unify the rainbow community.

Folau was hounded upon arrival in Christchurch last week when the Waratahs arrived for the match against the Crusaders, and was jeered each time he touched the ball in the 31-29 defeat.

The ground announcer also played the Village People’s noted gay anthem YMCA in the dying stages of the match.

Folau, who has been pilloried in the past six weeks since saying gays were destined for “Hell”, warned his Twitter followers yesterday that “the door is closing” on their time to repent sins.

“The Lord is giving you time to come to him whilst you’re still alive,” Folau wrote.

Perenara, the highest profile critic of Folau, has convinced his Hurricanes teammates to wear rainbow-coloured bootlaces and says he has no interest in talking to the Wallabies star about his stance.

“It’s not like I’m going to go out there on the field and say ‘Bro, let’s go over there and have a chat’, I don’t have any strong feelings to go and sit down and talk to him,” Perenara said.

“Equality, in general, is something that I’m staunch on.

“I grew up with people who now identify in the rainbow community and I’ve got family members who do also. So it is personal for me, but even if I didn’t, I’d still feel the same.

“I’d never push my values on anyone else, or force anyone to do anything. But again, I made my statement I guess because it was important to me, and something I felt like I needed to do.”