Israel Folau's wife sparks Twitter storm as she hits out at World Rugby over ban

Israel Folau’s wife Maria Folau has hit out at World Rugby after an appeal hearing upheld his one-match ban following his controversial yellow card incident in the third Test against Ireland at Allianz Stadium in Sydney last weekend.

Folau was shown a yellow card before being given a citing commissioner’s warning following two separate incidents involving Ireland captain O’Mahony in Sydney, where the Six Nations champions won 20-16 to clinch the series 2-1.

“Is this not deemed as dangerous/foul play?? @WorldRugby #fairquestion” Maria Folau said on Twitter, pointing to Rob Kearney’s challenge on the Wallaby full-back during the series which didn’t receive any sanction.

https://twitter.com/MariaFolau/status/1012557409493979137

There were mixed views to Mrs Folau’s tweet, with one user Darren Doheny saying “The level of bias from the aussies here is embarrassing.”

https://twitter.com/doho121/status/1012584337718554624

Another user Tim Gillespie supported Maria Folau’s stance, saying “@brettgosper great point about inconsistencies. Surely Kearney should have a week off? And also while we are at it, Cian Healy hit Genia off the ball and broke his arm yet he wasn’t even cited. Yes it was an innocuous bump, but I believe outcomes are considered by @World Rugby”

https://twitter.com/TheWorldByDiz/status/1012572751255592960

Gillespie did go on to admit that Healy should not have been suspended, but criticised inconsistencies. Another Twitter user Roghan McKerlie hit out the “@World Rugby Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde impersonation”.

https://twitter.com/RoghanMcKerlie/status/1012598704585334785

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Many were angered at the decision that saw Folau face a World Rugby disciplinary hearing.

The Waratahs Simon Cron did not believe Folau should face further punishment ahead of the Australian Conference leaders’ showdown with the second-placed Rebels this weekend.

“I’d be stunned if he’s not available,” he said. “Personally, I think it’s an interesting decision to even send him there [to a disciplinary].

“They’ve made that call, so he’ll go and defend himself. You probably saw it, personally I think if you’re in the air and you’re three foot off the ground, four feet off the ground, he’s quite high off the ground.

“I would think they would look at their one-man lifting technique. I know we do a lot of it but I’d be surprised. It’d be a bit of a nanny state if they pull him.”

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson previously stated that the rules may need to be changed if Folau was slapped with a suspension.

“I hope it doesn’t because that’s the element of rugby that’s important, that there is a kick and there is a fair contest for the ball,” he said.

“I don’t think in AFL they’ve got any particular rules governing that contest and so that’s why for me it’s really interesting, in terms of that law and what happens and the implications of what happens if he does get a sanction.”

He added: “I believe if he does get some time, there’s some real implications around the law-making process going forward.

“It really makes us look at the kick contest area and exactly how we can provide a law that provides for what is happening in terms of the collisions and guys landing on their heads.”