Israel Folau will fight for his career as he meets with rugby bosses in his first public outing since his homophobic posts - as Alan Jones defends the controversial player
- Folau and his wife were seen dining with two Rugby Australia officials on Friday
- The Wallabies star plans to fight to keep his career and 4-year $4million contract
- After his meeting with officials he was spotted at Rugby Australia headquarters
- He has can go through code of conduct hearing before he can be sacked
- Alan Jones has slammed Rugby Australia for terminating the star's contract
- Folau, 30, said gay people need to repent for their sins or they'll go to hell
- He's copped backlash from the New Zealand PM, as well as other players
Israel Folau has been spotted meeting with Rugby Australia officials on Friday in his first public outing since posting homophobic comments online.
It is understood Folau plans to fight for his career after he was set to be sacked over a controversial Instagram post.
The rugby star was seen at Sydney cafe with his wife, chief executive Raelene Castle and Rugby Union Players Association boss Prataal Raj to discuss his contract termination.
Folau, 30, has been told in no uncertain terms that Rugby Australia intends to use use every measure to terminate his $4 million contract, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Israel Folau and his wife Maria (middle left) have been spotted meeting with Rugby Australia officials on Friday amid reports he intends to fight for his career
The Wallabies star has the right to go through a code of conduct hearing before he can be officially sacked by Rugby Australia - and the controversial star intends to fight to save his lucrative career, the publication said.
The 30-year-old is contracted through to the end of 2022 on a $1 million dollar per season contract.
Despite the grim nature of the meeting the Wallabies star could be seen laughing as he sat outside the busy cafe in Little Bay on Friday morning.
But Folau became stony-faced when he was approached by a 9News reporter who asked if he regretted saying 'hell awaits' homosexuals unless they repented for their 'sins'.
The Wallabies star has the right to go through a code of conduct hearing before he can be officially sacked by Rugby Australia - and the controversial star intends to save his lucrative career
As he gets into a car as the reporter can be heard saying 'your career is all but over, how does it feel?'
He does not respond.
Nine News reporter Damian Ryan said on Friday that rugby official's met with Folau on Friday to tell him his Australian rugby career was over.
Just after his meeting with officials in Sydney's eastern suburbs, Folau was spotted at Rugby Australia headquarters.
Australian Wallabies coach Michael Cheika was seen leaving Rugby Australia headquarters. Folau was spotted at HQ at midday on Friday
Folau went into Rugby Australia's building at Moore Park just after midday and it's understood his meeting went for just 10 minutes.
It's understood Folau didn't return calls from RA in the 24 hours after the post went viral on Wednesday.
The meeting comes after shock jock Alan Jones defended Israel Folau's controversial homophobic comments - saying the rugby star has a right to freedom of speech.
Israel Folau shared this post to his 325,000 followers on Wednesday, prompting national outrage
Jones, who used to coach Australia's national rugby team, slammed Rugby Australia for terminating the star centre's contact over the post.
'Rugby Australia are only worried about the quids, they're only worried about the sponsorship,' he said on his 2GB radio show on Friday morning.
Jones said Folau was asked to sign a contract which said he wouldn't talk about any of his views that aren't consistent with Rugby Australia's sponsor Qantas.
Shock jock Alan Jones, who used to coach Australia's national rugby team, slammed Rugby Australia for terminating the star player's contact over his homophobic photo
'He's made comments about religion — who will end up heaven and who will end up in hell. Who cares? It's an opinion. I don't necessarily agree with what he said, by the way, but a lot of people don't agree with what I say,' the radio heavyweight said.
'We're going down a very, very narrow road here and this has gone on and on and on this crap. I'm telling you, out there people are terrified of saying anything. They are frightened, they don't know what they can say.'
Share this article
'We're on a slippery slope here ... it's got nothing to do with Israel, or rugby, or religion, or homosexuals, or whatever. Where are we in this country on free speech?'
The post read 'WARNING: Drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators, HELL AWAITS YOU — repent! Only Jesus saves' and has garnered more than 25,000 angry comments.
Alan Jones has defended Israel Folau's controversial homophobic comments - saying the rugby star has a right to freedom of speech on his 2GB radio program on Friday morning
'In the absence of mitigating circumstances, it is our intention to terminate his contract,' a Rugby Australia statement on Thursday.
'Whilst Israel is entitled to his religious beliefs, the way in which he has expressed these beliefs is inconsistent with the values of the sport. We want to make it clear that he does not speak for the game with his recent social media posts.
'Israel has failed to understand that the expectation of him as a Rugby Australia and NSW Waratahs employee is that he cannot share material on social media that condemns, vilifies or discriminates against people on the basis of their sexuality.'
Folau shared a message that read: 'WARNING: Drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators, HELL AWAITS YOU — repent! Only Jesus saves.'
Rugby Australia has reprimanded Folau in the past for targeting the LGBTQI community in his social media posts.
He came under fire in 2017 during the marriage equality vote, when he publicly announced he wouldn't be supporting gay marriage.
Jones' support comes after Hillsong founder Brian Houston criticised the Wallabies star for the homophobic social media message.
Folau at his church last month said that celebrating Christmas and Easter is wrong
Houston, an American preacher who founded the global Christian megachurch with his wife Bobbie in 1983, said he was 'sad' about Folau's post in a tweet.
'So sad about the (Israel Folau) situation. His way is not the right way,' he wrote in a deleted tweet, according to news.com.au
'It does not reflect the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament is clear, but grace does not point fingers. It recognises our own sinfulness. ''But by the grace of God'.'
Backlash is is coming from across the ditch, with New Zealand Prime Minister slamming his comments as 'damaging.'
Israel Folau made headlines in 2017 when he declared on Twitter that he's against marriage equality
'Obviously at a personal level I clearly don't agree with what he said, and (I'm) very mindful of the fact that he is for many a role model. He's a person in a position of influence and I think that with that comes responsibility,' Ardern said.
Rugby Australia and NSW Rugby Union released a joint statement on Thursday.
'Israel has failed to understand that the expectation of him as a Rugby Australia and NSW Waratahs employee is that he cannot share material on social media that condemns, vilifies or discriminates against people on the basis of their sexuality.'
The statement goes on to say 'As a code we have made it clear to Israel formally and repeatedly that any social media posts or commentary that is in any way disrespectful to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action.'
Comments 0
Share what you think
No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
