Folau’s message not the sport’s one

Australia’s director of rugby, Scott Johnson, has launched a passionate plea for the sport to embrace its inclusiveness in the wake of the latest Israel Folau social media controversy, having witnessed first-hand the struggle former Wales star Gareth Thomas had coming to terms with his sexuality and the personal toll it took on him.

Johnson has backed RA’s hardline stance to sack Folau should the governing body be granted permission to do so after the Wallabies and Waratahs fullback’s code of conduct hearing on May 4 in Sydney.

It is a touchy subject for Johnson as he was the first person Thomas, the 103-test veteran, told that he was gay and was struggling with his sexuality.

In 2006, the former British and Irish Lions captain broke down in tears next to Johnson after a 29-29 draw with Australia in Cardiff and poured his heart out, telling his former coach his marriage was on the rocks and that he needed to get a secret off his chest.

Johnson was Thomas’s coach at Wales but had taken a role as Wallabies assistant coach. Despite that, he talked with Thomas, who has since revealed he was suicidal, and organised for him to tell teammates he was gay and make the transition period easy for him.

‘‘The sport allowed Gareth, in a very dark period, to come out and I look at the success of the man today. Israel, I will park [judgment] until he has his chance to say his side of the story, but as a sport and what Rugby Australia stands for, I’m all for including all types.’’

‘‘It goes beyond rugby. This is human relationship. I had a kid that I absolutely loved to coach, I loved what he stood for [but was] troubled.’’ Last week Thomas hit out at Folau, who posted a photo which said homosexuals, among other groups such as drunks and atheists, were destined for hell.

‘‘What he’s said about being gay [as being] almost a choice is very uneducated,’’ Thomas said.

‘‘I can tell you as a gay man myself, what I’ve been through in my life, if there was a choice then probably at times I probably would have decided not to have been gay.’’

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has already said it would be difficult to pick Folau for Australia in the future which leaves his international career in limbo.

‘‘I want to make it really clear I am very supportive of where Rugby Australia is in this stance,’’ Johnson said.

‘‘What I will say is we want a game that includes everyone. You don’t coach just to win trophies, you coach to make people better and that’s why I’m in the sport and I’m passionate about it.’’