Hansen: Folau let himself down

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says Israel Folau got it wrong with the manner of his controversial outburst and predicted the Wallabies will miss their star fullback.

Hansen said in Wellington yesterday Folau was entitled to his opinions, but his social media outburst was not right.

Folau landed himself in hot water last Wednesday with a controversial Instagram and Twitter post that suggested homosexuals and other groups – including drunks and atheists – were destined for hell.

The record Super Rugby tryscorer was caught up in a similar furore last year but escaped sanction from Rugby Australia after posting on social media that gays

would go to hell.

When Hansen was queried at the All Blacks’ first foundation day yesterday after their training session, he wasn’t sitting on the fence about the severity of Folau’s outburst.

‘‘I think we all know what he has said isn’t right. There’s no point me adding my name to the end of that list and it’s been dealt with pretty strongly by his employers.’’

While there has been outrage from many on Folau’s comments, Hansen did not condemn Folau for his strong religious beliefs.

‘‘He’s got the right to have an opinion, but I think he’s probably let himself down in the way he’s gone about that.

‘‘Even this morning I read he firmly believes it, so he’s just missing one piece of the jigsaw puzzle I think.’’

Hansen said the Wallabies would miss Folau, who recently broke the record for the most tries scored in Super Rugby. ‘‘He’s a good player.’’ Meanwhile, Hansen would not confirm his post World Cup plans, despite Australian reports linking him with Japanese club Verblitz.

Hansen said last year that he would quit as All Blacks head coach after the World Cup.

The 59-year-old has not confirmed his plans, but the Daily Telegraph reported he would take up the role as director of rugby at Verblitz, currently coached by South Africa’s 2007 World Cupwinning coach, Jake White.

‘‘I’ll be going to Japan at some stage probably around September,’’ he said referring to the World Cup.

‘‘I don’t know what you guys want me to do. All I am worried about at the moment is concentrating on what I’m doing at the moment.

‘‘Once I finish that I will let you know what I’m doing but there’s a lot of things in the air and the story did come out of Australia.’’

■ Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says Folau’s ‘‘disrespectful’’ comments would currently make it impossible to pick the superstar for Australia at this year’s World Cup.

Folau remains stood down by Rugby Australia over his latest social media tirade, which proclaimed homosexuals, drunks and atheists would go to hell unless they repented.

‘‘Getting out in that disrespectful manner publicly is not what our team’s about,’’ Cheika said yesterday. ‘‘When you play in the gold jersey, we represent everyone in Australia – everyone. Everyone that’s out there supporting us. We don’t pick and choose.’’