Critics still harping on Folau’s role
Israel Folau just can’t escape the ongoing scrutiny over Australia’s crushing loss to Argentina last month.
Although exonerated from blame by his teammates, Folau was heavily criticised on social media for the Wallabies’ 23-19 loss on the Gold Coast.
It remains the hardest to stomach of all Australia’s losses this season because it was one that got away.
Folau scored a brilliant solo try in the first half but still copped most of the flak after he elected to go himself in the final minute and lost the ball when Bernard Foley was unmarked outside him with the line wide open.
Almost three weeks later, Folau still hasn’t spoken about the match, but his silence hasn’t stopped the incident from being discussed by everyone else in the lead-up to Australia’s return fixture in Argentina on Sunday.
Grilled about it before a training session in Buenos Aires, Wallabies winger Tom Banks said Folau was just trying to put the match behind him and move on.
“He had a good game, he scored that unbelievable try and he’s not focused on what people are saying,” Banks said.
“I don’t think he looks at social media. The things he brings to the team, he’s an unbelievable player. He’s not worried about that.”
Banks wasn’t picked for that match but said everyone in the Wallabies’ squad shared some responsibility for the loss because they had plenty of other chances to win the game.
“At the international level you only get a few opportunities. You need to capitalise on them,” Banks said. “That’s the biggest thing we’ve spoken about as a backs unit, just being able to actually finish off tries.
“You can get close, you can make line breaks, but if you’re not scoring tries you’re not going to win games.”