Folau set for action with Tonga

ISRAEL Folau is poised to rekindle his international career by playing for Tonga at next year’s Rugby League World Cup.

It could see the man who was sacked by rugby union in Australia line up against the league Kangaroos in the knockout stages of the tournament.

Folau has Tongan heritage but played for Australia 62 times before his career came to a halt after the homophobic posts he put on social media.

The row saw Folau miss last year’s union World Cup in Japan and he then received a multi-million pound out of court settlement from Rugby Australia.

Folau has since been playing for French Super League club Catalans and Tonga have confirmed they are ready to pick him for the World Cup.

Tongan team spokesperson John Hopoate said: “The coach, Kristian Woolf, has made contact with him and let him know that if he’s playing good enough he will be in our team.”

The International Rugby League are ready to back the move, he continued.

“It comes under the international game, the IRL, they said he’s allowed to play,” he explained.

“He’s not going to walk straight into the team, these guys who have stuck strong by us in the last couple of years will get first opportunity.

“If someone gets injured, or if Israel’s playing too good where we had to pick him, then yes he’s going to get picked.

“We’re not going to say no to him.”

■ Australian players are set to take perhaps the biggest pay cuts of any sporting stars because of the coronavirus crisis, report The Australian.

Rugby Australia are said to be facing a crisis and it is reported they have asked the 192 players contracted to them to take cuts of 65 per cent. There are reports the governing body could lose as much as £60m this year.