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Four potential players to replace Israel Folau at 15 for the Wallabies

Wallabies in huddle. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

It’s been a whirlwind couple of days for Waratahs and Australia full-back Israel Folau, with the outspoken 30-year-old informed today that his contract is set to be terminated.

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Folau, according to the Rugby Australia (RA) statement, had proved uncontactable over the last 24 hours, following his decision to post an anti-homosexual message on his Instagram account, as well as a post on Twitter which encouraged people to “turn away from their evil ways and repent” in response to Tasmania making gender optional on birth certificates.

This is not the first time Folau has been in trouble for his controversial use of social media to condemn homosexuality and despite signing a lucrative four-year contract back in February, RA have acted swiftly, stating that “in the absence of compelling mitigating factors” his contract will be terminated.

This creates quite the dilemma for Michael Cheika, with Folau having locked down the 15 jersey for the Wallabies in 63 of the 73 tests he has played for them since making the move over from rugby league. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, this move is going to require Cheika to rethink his back three.

We take a look at four of the top candidates to fill the void that Folau’s potential imminent firing could create.

Dane Haylett-Petty, Rebels

Haylett-Petty would be the obvious choice, with the versatile back having spent seven tests at full-back in 2018, as Australia experimented with Folau on both the wing and at outside centre. He was impressive in the wins over Argentina and South Africa, but also endured his fair share of struggles, as did the players around him, with the Wallabies producing a poor 2018 in general.

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He had a solid start to the season, helping the Rebels to two wins over the Brumbies and a victory at home to the Highlanders, but he has since been injured, with talented youngster Jack Maddocks and another versatile player in Reece Hodge both impressing in his absence. With Haylett-Petty likely to be out of action until at least the beginning of May with ruptured ligaments in his toe, there’s no guarantee he’ll regain the Rebels 15 jersey, let alone push for the Wallaby one.

The Rebels seem to hold the keys to the 15 jersey, with Reece Hodge and Dane Haylett-Petty both in the mix. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Reece Hodge, Rebels

It’s a mark of the journey the Rebels are on at the moment that they have two or three genuine contenders for this spot. Hodge has shone at Super Rugby level in the 15 jersey, although his appearances for the Wallabies have so far come in the midfield or on the wing. He was consistent for Australia at 13 during the Rugby Championship last season, dovetailing nicely with the likes of Matt Toomua and Kurtley Beale at 12.

For Cheika to consider him at 15, he would need to be confident about an alternative at outside centre. If Tevita Kuridrani, Karmichael Hunt or Adam Ashley-Cooper can finish the season strongly, that could give Cheika the flexibility to move Hodge to full-back, should he see the Rebel as the best way to round out his back three. Given his form and ability, not to mention his long-range kicking potency, Hodge would seem to be inked into the XV, it’s just a matter of where.

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It’s worth giving an honourable mention to Maddocks here, too, with the 22-year-old showing his potential in Melbourne, but with Haylett-Petty and Hodge both more likely to shoulder the responsibilities of the 15 jersey at club level, it seems unlikely that he would be involved with Australia as anything other than a wing at this point.

Tom Banks, Brumbies

Banks is a player who has quietly gone about his business in Canberra, offering impressive consistency and level of play in a side that has diminished over the last few seasons. His work rate and perseverance were rewarded last year when he was involved in the matchday 23 on multiple occasions for the Wallabies.

He’s not the flashy counter-attacker that Folau is, nor does he quite have the kicking ability of versatility of Haylett-Petty or Hodge, but he does the basics of being a full-back very competently. He is solid across the board and could be an appealing option if Cheika decides that he thinks Hodge and Haylett-Petty are at their best at other positions.

Kurtley Beale, Waratahs

The Waratah has plenty of experience at 15 in the green and gold, albeit with most of that coming earlier in his career. It seems unlikely that Cheika would want to move Beale from 12, where he has had plenty of success since moving back to Australia from Wasps in the Gallagher Premiership, but he remains a valid option there.

His chemistry with Hodge could be the biggest factor in keeping both he and Hodge in the midfield, although there will certainly be a temptation to bring the physical carrying of Kuridrani or Samu Kerevi into the mix if possible. By opting for Beale at full-back, Cheika would give himself a 15 with unparalleled ability to link play, and step up as a second receiver or to split the back line at the set-piece, should he desire it.

Honourable mentions

As said before, Maddocks is on a very impressive trajectory, albeit probably not seen as an international full-back at this point in time. Isaac Lucas is a bright prospect and someone who will be involved with the U20s this season, but he is one to look at for the role in the next cycle, rather than at the RWC. Toomua and Hunt have shown ability at the position also, but seem much more likely to continue roles in the centres, especially with players like Haylett-Petty and Hodge available to fill the position. That said, Hunt could find himself with a glut of playing time at 15 for the Waratahs now, should RA carry through their threat and fire Folau.

Watch: Folau’s views again court controversy

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Flankly 2 minutes ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

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Nickers 11 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Very poor understanding of what's going on and 0 ability to read. When I say playing behind the gain line you take this to mean all off-loads and site times we are playing in front of the gain line???


Every time we play a lot of rugby behind the gain line (for clarity, meaning trying to build an attack and use width without front foot ball 5m+ behind the most recent breakdown) we go backwards and turn the ball over in some way. Every time a player is tackled behind the most recent breakdown you need more and more people to clear out because your forwards have to go back around the corner, whereas opposition players can keep moving forward. Eventually you run out of either players to clear out or players to pass to and the result in a big net loss of territory and often a turnover. You may have witnessed that 20+ times in the game against England. This is a particularly dumb idea inside your own 40m which is where, for some reason, we are most likely to employ it.


The very best ABs teams never built an identity around attacking from poor positions. The DC era team was known for being the team that kicked the most. To engineer field position and apply pressure, and create broken play to counter attack. This current team is not differentiating between when a defence has lost it's structure and there are opportunities, and when they are completely set and there is nothing on. The reason they are going for 30 minute + periods in every game without scoring a single point, even against Japan and a poor Australian team, is because they are playing most of their rugby on the back foot in the wrong half.

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Nickers 40 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

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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