Folau 3rd Eales Medal
Israel Folau has created new history, winning the John Eales Medal as Australia’s best rugby player for an unprecedented third time.
And one of his closest friends, Wallabies teammate Sekope Kepu, says there is no chance the triple-code star will ever return to the NRL. After breaking the record this year for most tries in a calendar year by a Wallaby (12), Folau romped home to his third medal win, beating closest rival Kurtley Beale by nearly 100 votes.
No Wallabies player has ever won three Eales medals, yet Folau has achieved that feat within just five years of joining the code. There is endless speculation that Folau will one day return to the NRL, where he established himself as a genuine superstar before a stint in the AFL, but Kepu says that is unlikely to happen despite the fullback’s many achievement’s in rugby.
“I’ve never been that worried about him returning to rugby league,” Kepu wrote in a column for the RUPA website.
“We have had a few discussions about it, and every time I see something pop up in the newspapers I have a chat with him and ask what’s going on, and how he’s feeling.”
The Eales medal is voted on a 3-2-1 system by fellow Wallabies players after each Test starting from the start of last year’s spring tour. In the final tally, Folau received an overwhelming 260 votes, beating Beale, who remarkably polled 166 votes despite only playing seven games since August.
Next were Bernard Foley (146), Michael Hooper (142), Sean McMahon (1129), Tevita Kuridrani (111), David Pocock (107), Reece Hodge (91), Dane Haylett-Petty (86) and
2017 Rugby Australia Awards
Wallabies Hall of Fame inductees: David Brockhoff & Greg Cornelsen;
HSBC Volunteer of the Year: Peter Kurtz;
Roger Vanderfield Award TNT Referee of the Year: Angus Gardner;
Nick Farr-Jones Spirit of Rugby: Warringah Rugby Club/The Ward Family;
Australia U20s Player of the Year: Liam Wright;
Joe French Award: Kevin Crowe OAM;
Geoff “Bunter” Shaw Community Coach of the Year: Alana Thomas; Rugby Australia Rookie of the Year: Ned Hanigan;
Rugby Australia Try of the Year: Joe Powell; (Brumbies) v Hurricanes (Round 9);
Vodafone Super Rugby Player of the Year: Amanaki Mafi, Melbourne Rebels; Australia’s Choice – Qantas Wallaby of the Year: Michael Hooper; Women’s XV Player of the Year: Hilisha Samoa;
The Shawn Mackay Award Qantas Men’s Sevens Player of the Year: James Stannard;
The Shawn Mackay Award Qantas Women’s Sevens Player of the Year: Chloe Dalton OAM;