Folau still in the dark on future

ISRAEL Folau’s future remains no clearer after his landmark code of conduct hearing was forced into a third day following a weekend stalemate at Rugby Australia headquarters in Sydney.

Folau’s defence counsel and RA’s legal team will return on Tuesday after more than 15 hours of legal arguments weren’t enough for the threeperson independent panel to start considering a decision.

RA chief executive Raelene Castle was asked to give verbal evidence for the second day running, with NSW Waratahs supremo Andrew Hore also called as a witness yesterday.

Folau is fighting to save his career after Castle issued the dual international with a “high-level” breach notice last month and threatened to tear up his four-year, $4 million contract following his latest inflammatory social media posts.

The superstar fullback, who reportedly rejected a $1 million offer to walk away from Australian rugby last week, joined Castle and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika in providing evidence on Saturday.

Folau’s legal team have argued that Folau’s Instagram post claiming hell awaits homosexuals and other sinners unless they repent and turn to Jesus was merely a Bible passage and not his direct words.

They also put foot forward the fact that RA didn’t include a specific social media clause when the John Eales Medallist signed a new contract in February. But after being formally warned last year when he posted similar passages, RA’s legal unit believes he has breached both the player code of conduct and social media policies.