Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh has categorically ruled out former Wallaby Israel Folau playing against the British and Irish Lions.
Folau told The Daily Telegraph he was keen to be selected for the Invitational Australia and New Zealand team (AU & NZ) to face the Lions on July 12 in Adelaide. But the eligibility criteria make it impossible for the Tongan international to play any part in the series.
“The reality is that the AU-NZ game is made up of Australian eligible players and obviously New Zealand players,” Waugh said.
“So essentially, once a player – no matter who the player is – is ineligible for Australia, then that has an impact on their availability.
“On the First Nations and Pasifika team … they need to be Australian Super Rugby squad members and where there’s a gap in competitiveness or strength for welfare reasons, there will be the opportunity to choose some players out of Moana Pasifika and the [Fijian] Drua.”
Rugby Australia also ruled out seeking any selection dispensation that could allow Folau to play a part in the Lions series.
After moving to rugby in 2013, Folau went on to play 73 Tests for the Wallabies and helped the Waratahs win a Super Rugby title in 2014.
Folau was sacked by RA in May 2019 over a social media post that warned hell awaited homosexuals, among other groups such as drunks and atheists, unless they repented their sins. The post remains on Folau’s Instagram page.
Folau launched a claim for wrongful dismissal against RA, claiming he had lost $14 million in potential revenue and the opportunity to have captained the Wallabies.
In December 2019, Folau and RA reached a settlement agreement, thereby avoiding a legal trial in the Federal Circuit Court, with both parties apologising “for any hurt or harm caused”.
Israel Folau proved a revelation for the Wallabies when making his debut against the Lions a decade ago.Credit: Dallas Kilponen
Folau played his final Test for the Wallabies in 2018, moving to France to play for Catalan Dragons in the Super League in 2020.
The former Wallaby then moved to Japan to play club rugby for Urayasu D-Rocks and made his debut for Tonga three years ago.
Waugh also said he was confident the appointment of the next Wallabies coach was not far away. Joe Schmidt announced in February he will not coach Australia after this year’s Rugby Championship.
“We’re pretty close, and getting closer to an outcome, but we want to make sure that we get the right outcome with the right balance across the ecosystem,” Waugh said.
“It’s about ensuring that we do the appropriate due diligence right across the system. I’m pretty comfortable where things are heading and the direction of travel.”
Meanwhile, Wallabies star Max Jorgensen is waiting on scan results to find out the extent of the damage after suffering a suspected syndesmosis injury in the Waratahs’ 45 point-defeat against the Hurricanes on Friday night.
