TAHS STAND BY AS FOLAU TALK SWIRLS
RUGBY UNION: Wallabies forward Ned Hanigan says he’d be shattered if superstar teammate Israel Folau left the NSW Waratahs.
Off contract at the end of 2018, Folau has been linked to a move to the Queensland Reds in Brisbane, where he grew up.
The three-times John Eales Medallist has reportedly held talks with Reds coach Brad Thorn, which Hanigan said was surprising.
“The Reds? This is all new stuff,” Hanigan said after Folau looked anything but a player who wanted out as he joked with teammates during Waratahs training yesterday.
“If that was circulating in the sheds, then obviously it would be an issue.
“But it’s not for us because the way he’s conducting himself around the group, he’s keeping those two things separate, which is really good.”
But with Folau’s wife at the weekend tweeting to the Waratahs asking why her husband was repeatedly being shunted to the wing, the 29-year-old could privately be feeling discontent after five and a half seasons with the 2014 champions.
While Folau has been mired in controversy over the past month for his controversial stance on homosexuality and same-sex marriage, Hanigan said the Waratahs fully supported the code-hopping superstar “as a teammate”.
“There’s obviously been a bit around Izzy of late,” Hanigan said. “He came back into the squad (after being injured) and I can honestly say his preparation for that Blues game (last Saturday) was first class, which is testament to the athlete he is and his performance he had against the Blues, I reckon he was best on park.
“So that stuff hasn’t affected us at all.”
The Reds have refused to comment on the speculation about Folau but Thorn yesterday reaffirmed the club’s willingness to let unwanted star Quade Cooper go.
The Reds would likely need to offload Cooper, who is contracted to the end of 2019, if they are any chance to sign Folau.
“If there was an opportunity for Quade at another Super Rugby club, we wouldn’t stand in his way,” Thorn said.
Cooper is believed to have knocked back approaches from both the Brumbies and Rebels and is seemingly determined to work his way back into the Reds team via Brisbane club rugby.
That despite Thorn’s hardline stance that the 30-year-old isn’t part of his plans and won’t be getting a look in anytime soon.