Folau brothers set to join forces for first time at Tahs
RUGBY UNION: As if the beleaguered Sunwolves didn’t have enough on their plate dealing with Super Rugby’s new try-scoring king Israel Folau tonight.
Now it’s potentially double trouble for the bottom-placed and soon-to-be-extinct Sunwolves, with Folau’s younger brother John in line to make his NSW Waratahs debut at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium.
John Folau, in his maiden season at the Waratahs after switching codes from rugby league, was promoted to the bench yesterday after winger Curtis Rona was ruled out with a groin injury.
While Alex Newsome will start as Rona’s replacement, the 24-year-old Folau is almost certain to be unleashed on the Sunwolves at some point in the second half.
A former Queensland under-20s rugby league representative, Folau played one Test for Tonga in the 13-man code and three NRL games for Parramatta before joining Israel at the Waratahs in the off-season.
Waratahs assistant coach Chris Whitaker, who also coached Folau in last year’s National Rugby Championship, is confident the rookie will handle the step up.
“He’s taken huge progression,” Whitaker said on match eve.
“Before he came in, he hadn’t played rugby union before.
“He’s obviously watched his brother play so he’s learnt a fair bit off his brother.
“But he’s been good. He’s been in there doing extra hours and just learning positional play.”