WALLABIES ARE UNITED

Fears Folau sacking would split World Cup squad unfounded

THE fear mongers who said Israel Folau’s sacking would split the Wallabies along religious and racial lines have been shown to be false prophets.

This is one of the tightest Wallaby teams ever to represent Australia at the World Cup.

Instead of dividing the squad, the drawn-out Folau saga has seen the players bond like brothers, because it’s reinforced the first rule of rugby: the team always comes first.

That’s the message everyone in the leadership group has been preaching from the moment Folau went rogue and posted the anti-gay comments that led to his multi-milliondollar contract being torn up.

And that’s the message the players have taken with them to Japan as they try to Bring Back Bill.

"It all starts with working hard together and being pushed into circumstances where you have got to fight for each other and pull your mate through, whatever the adversity might be,” Sekope Kepu said.

The veteran prop has a close friendship with Folau. He named one of his sons Israel and when Rugby Australia confirmed they were terminating Folau’s contract, Kepu was among the first to publish messages of support for Folau.

It was those postings, and similar messages from other players with Pacific Island heritage, that had everyone worried that a rift was developing, but it just hasn’t happened.

Kepu said the team had become even tighter in the leadup to the World Cup after they were put through some exhausting bonding sessions.

“I thought going to Noumea a few weeks back was a great opportunity for us to isolate ourselves. They don't do Vodafone roaming over there so the boys were able to connect and just play cards,” he said.

“The onsens (hot springs) here in Japan have been great for the guys who are a little bit shy to get everything off in front of each other. It's been great. Guys are pulling in other guys to experience it and get into it.”

Kurtley Beale, who has taken over Folau’s fullback position, said the sense of unity in the team was similar to that of the 2015 World Cup side.

“There are some similarities, no doubt,” Beale said. “One of the best things about the 2015 team was how tight we were off the field and that's an important one that I really believe can take us to the next step.”