Folau ‘grateful’ as revolt brews
Israel Folau said he was ‘‘grateful’’ Catalans Dragons offered him an opportunity to play rugby league again but the French club’s Super League rivals are reportedly leading a revolt against his controversial move there.
Folau was fired by Rugby Australia (RA) over an Instagram post last year in which he condemned, among others, ‘‘homosexuals, drunks, fornicators and liars’’ to hell unless they repent.
The former Wallabies fullback, a fundamentalist Christian, appealed against his dismissal and reached a confidential settlement with RA in December, a month after claiming that Australia’s bushfire crisis was punishment from God for legalising same-sex marriage and abortion.
The Dragons threw the 30-year-old a career lifeline after signing him on a one-year deal last week, a move which provoked backlash in the British league community.
In his first interview as a Dragons player via Sky Sports in the UK, Folau spoke only of his move to the south of France with no mention of the controversy surrounding his signing.
‘‘I’m excited to be back playing the game that I grew up playing,’’ Folau said, revealing that his wife, former Silver Ferns netballer Maria Folau, had travelled with him to Perpignan.
‘‘It’s very different, something totally different to what I’m used to,’’ Folau said of the chance to play for the Dragons.
‘‘My wife and I were very excited. From the day we landed here we’re embracing something new and different.’’
Catalans are reportedly shocked at the ‘‘chorus of condemnation’’ and opted out of unveiling him at a public press conference this week.
The BBC reports that Hull KR are fronting a revolt against Folau playing in Super League, led by club owner Neil Hugdell.
‘‘I reserve my position to take proceedings v Catalans Dragons,’’ Hugdell said in an email obtained by the BBC.
Hugdell said he was concerned sponsors would pull out of Super League because of the controversy surrounding Folau.
‘‘For example, if a title sponsor withdraws, or external investment is not secured, or quantifiable reputational damage is caused to the brand of Super League and its members,’’ he added.
The BBC reported that Hugdell warned Catalans of legal action in correspondence delivered last week and that several other clubs have backed his stance in considering legal threats for possible damages.
The report also outlines that clubs are unhappy because they were not consulted about Folau’s signing and it said, according to a club source, that ‘‘nearly all’’ Super League clubs have endorsed Hugdell’s legal threat.
Catalans owner Bernard Guasch has defended their move to sign Folau and is expected to face the music when he meets with other Super League clubs this week.
Guasch insisted the Dragons do not agree with Folau’s views and said they signed an agreement with the RFL, the UK’s governing body, that any transgression would trigger an immediate termination of the player’s contract and a substantial fine for the club.
Folau did not play in the opening round of Super League last weekend but could be available for round two.
Catalans face Wakefield Trinity away on Monday (NZ time) and Folau has started training with his new club this week.
Dragons coach Steve McNamara could be tempted to include him in his squad after losing a host of outside backs to injury, although Folau hasn’t played competitively in 10 months after his last game of rugby for the Wararahs last April.
Folau, a former Kangaroos international, is no stranger to the 13-man code after beginning his career with Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, but his last league match was 10 years ago with the Broncos.
The NRL, meanwhile, has repeatedly made it clear there was no place in Australian rugby league for Folau.