Fallout for Folau supporters continues

While everyone awaits the final outcome for Israel Folau after Rugby Australia announced his contract would be terminated due to his ill-thought social media activity, it seems like more and more players are being caught up in the fallout.

A number of well-known players had liked Folau’s below post on Instagram – but understandably didn’t catch quite as much flack for their implicit support of Folau’s words as Folau himself did.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwEWt2uHcLI/?utm_source=ig_embed

While any of Folau’s 331,000+ Instagram followers would be subjected to his post – including thousands of impressionable youths – it takes a lot more digging to see who simply supports Folau’s position.

That hasn’t stopped people from targeting Folau’s more famous supporters with criticism – fairly or unfairly. Some professional rugby players have even posted on their own social media to apologise for liking Folau’s post.

Others, like Billy Vunipola, have come out in support of Folau’s right to express his own views.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwJoJq7gW4Q/?utm_source=ig_embed

The Saracens have subsequently issued a statement saying that Vunipola’s comments are “inconsistent” with the club’s beliefs and that internal discipline procedures will follow, however it appears that Vunipola’s activity have already had repercussions, with Channel 4 dropping Vunipola as the face of their European rugby coverage.

A spokesperson for Channel 4 has said that  “(Bully Vunipola)’s views are incompatible with our values as an inclusive broadcaster and in light of this Billy Vunipola won’t be used as a contributor in Channel 4’s rugby coverage.”

No doubt, rugby clubs and unions around the world will be ramping up their social media training for their charges to ensure the Folau saga doesn’t repeat itself in the future.