Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Israel Folau to make rugby return amid Lions snubbing

Israel Folau of the Wallabies is tackled by George North of the Lions during game two of the International Test Series between the Australian Wallabies and the British & Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium on June 29, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Israel Folau will make his first appearance in nearly three months this weekend when he lines up for Urayasu D-Rocks against Yokohama Eagles in Japan Rugby League One.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 36-year-old’s return to action comes in the same week Rugby Australia ruled him out of playing in this year’s invitational fixture against the British & Irish Lions.

Chief executive Phil Waugh confirmed that Folau – as a Tonga player – is ineligible. The news ends any prospect of a high-profile return in the combined Australia–New Zealand XV.

Folau’s immediate attention will now turn to helping bottom-placed Urayasu avoid Japan Rugby League One relegation.

This weekend’s game will be his first outing since January 11 as he has missed much of the season through injury. The match also features former Wallabies teammate Samu Kerevi, who continues to press for national selection ahead of the Lions series.

Fixture
Japan Rugby League One
Yokohama Canon Eagles
33 - 22
Full-time
Urayasu D-Rocks
All Stats and Data

The injury plagued Folau has made only 12 appearances across three seasons in Japan, despite a prolific debut campaign in which he scored 10 tries.

He last played for the Wallabies in 2018 before being sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 for a code-of-conduct breach. He later represented Tonga following a change to international eligibility rules.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 36-year-old is disappointed that he won’t be involved in game against the Lions in Melbourne.

“I just wanted to address a couple of things in regards to a few media articles that have been floating around the past week in relation to me playing in this Anzac v Lions game later this year and how this all came about,” Folau said after taking to Instagram, explaining that a Newcorp journalist had reached out through former Wallaby Sekope Kepu to gauge his interest, leading to a direct conversation in which he confirmed he was keen to be involved.

“…he [the journalist] was in conversations with Phil Waugh, and Phil had told him that he was open to the idea of me being involved in this game if I was interested in that.

“Being a professional rugby player, these opportunities don’t come around too often and so I told him I was very interested. If I was fit and selected, it was a game that I’d love to be a part of.

ADVERTISEMENT

“But recently Phil has come out and shut that down completely for whatever reason and said that I was not eligible to play this game nor was there any discussions around me being involved in this game as well.”

He said he was disapointed around Waugh’s comments, which clarified that Folau was ineligible.

“It’s disappointing from my point of view, otherwise, I wouldn’t have put myself, I guess, in this position. But you know, it is what it is and I just wanted to address that and I wanted to wish Rugby Australia and Phil Waugh all the best and all the success for the remainder of the season.”

Related


To be first in line for Rugby World Cup 2027 Australia tickets, register your interest here 

ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 1 day ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Worcester Warriors confirm head coach appointment Worcester Warriors confirm head coach appointment
Search