'We stand with Israel': Curtis Rona throws support behind Israel Folau
Waratahs and Wallabies winger Curtis Rona has thrown his support behind Israel Folau after the dual international came under attack for a controversial remark about gay people.
Rona took to Instagram on Thursday morning to profess his support for Folau, quoting a passage from the Bible and saying "We stand with #IsraelFolau".
Mates: Rona and Folau at Waratahs training
Photo: Louie DouvisThe biblical passage was taken from the Gospel of John in the New Testament: "Jesus answered, 'I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me'".
The three-Test Wallaby, who joined the Waratahs this season, is also a devout Christian and looks up to the team's decorated fullback. They share a history in rugby league, with Rona playing for the Cowboys and Bulldogs before returning to rugby with the Western Force last year.
Folau has kept his own counsel since a meeting with his Rugby Australia and Waratahs bosses on Tuesday. He and his manager Isaac Moses met with Raelene Castle and Andrew Hore to talk about his use of social media, although nothing definitive came of it.
Support: Curtis Rona's Instagram post.
Photo: InstagramThe Folau story is an unwanted distraction for the Waratahs ahead of one of their biggest home games of the season when they face the the Queensland Reds on Saturday.
The blockbuster meeting at the Sydney Cricket Ground serves as a chance for NSW to chalk up four straight wins – something they have not been able to do for almost two years.
While there has been a greater sense of excitement at Waratahs headquarters this week than normal, no player will be more eager to get on the field than halfback Nick Phipps, even if he is coming off the bench.
Phipps, one of the most energetic and exuberant characters at the club, says cleaning out the cobwebs last weekend for Sydney University was the perfect way to get over a “frustrating” calf injury ahead of the local derby.
The Wallabies representative scored three tries in Sydney University’s 36-12 victory over Parramatta and his coach Rob Taylor was suitably impressed.
“Nick showed why he is an international halfback with his comeback performance,” Taylor said. “You wouldn’t have guessed he hasn’t played a game since the Wallaby [European] tour.”
Phipps hasn’t played a match for the Waratahs this season and since his Super Rugby debut in 2011 has been mostly injury-free.
“It’s been very frustrating,” Phipps said. “It’s been something that has been really different because usually I’m fit.
“I always want to be out there and competing every day but it’s just been one of those things. I’m just a bit slow to recover. It was good to get some game time for Sydney Uni last week and I think I’m ready to go now and hopefully be able to get some time off the bench to prove myself.
“For me it was about getting my passes right, finding my kicking game and getting that rhythm back into it again.”
The Reds have made a number of changes to the team that was thumped 45-21 by the Brumbies on Saturday.
Young winger Izaia Perese returns on the wing from injury but Queensland will be without prop Taniela Tupou, who has a shoulder problem.
James Slipper is the stand-in captain given Scott Higginbotham is out of the match with a calf injury, while Adam Korczyk has been dropped to the bench in a back row reshuffle.
While the Reds haven’t been at their best in the last two outings, Phipps praised the physicality of the Queenslanders.
As for any animosity between the sides in the lead-up to the derby, Phipps talked things down.
“I don’t think it’s a massive hatred but more the excitement of playing each other nowadays,” Phipps said. “They’re building a very physical team. They’ve got one of the better forward packs in the competition. The raw talent they have got there and the way they’re utilising their set piece is really impressive to watch. They’re going to be a very dangerous team.”