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Folau's career in the balance as Rugby Australia investigate 'unacceptable' Instagram post

Israel Folau (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

Israel Folau is back courting controversy less than a week after becoming Super Rugby’s all-time top try scorer.

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The Australian has garnered an unsavoury reputation for his social media commentary on sexuality and religion. 

And he has taken to Instagram to reheat the divisive issue, claiming that gay people will go to hell. He also appeared to criticism legislation in Tasmania that is making gender an optional section on birth certificates. 

In a post sent to his 300,000 followers on Instagram, the Australian international wrote: 

“Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him.

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

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings and such like of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God – Galatians 5:19-21 KJV.”

Folau’s outburst also included a tweet about the devil to his 119,000 Twitter followers. Nearly a year ago, the Waratahs player caused rancour with a similar sentiment, claiming gay people were “destined for hell”.

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That opinion caused uproar between Folau supporters who backed his right to voice his beliefs and those who believed that Rugby Australia should sanction him for offensive comments that caused upset to large groups of people.

The consequences of that controversy was to put Folau’s contract negotiations on hold for many months. However, he has since re-signed, ultimately re-committing in February to Rugby Australia for four more years.

That extension was agreed on the proviso that Folau would express his views more respectfully on social media, but his latest message appears to go against the grain of this agreement.

Rugby Australia issued a statement calling Folau’s post unacceptable. “Rugby Australia is aware of a post made by Israel Folau on his Instagram account,” it read.

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“The content within the post is unacceptable. It does not represent the values of the sport and is disrespectful to members of the Rugby community. The Rugby Australia Integrity Unit has been engaged on the matter.”

WATCH: Raelene Castle reacts to Folau’s comments in 2018

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Nickers 25 minutes ago
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I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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