Israel Folau. Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images
Folau returns to rugby union after absence of more than 1,000 days
Israel Folau has made a successful return to rugby union, scoring two tries in the Shining Arcs’ 24-23 win over the Kobe Steelers in Japan.
Israel Folau. Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images
It was the first match of the season in the new-look Japanese domestic rugby competition, and represented Folau’s first professional rugby union match in over 1,000 days.
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In the middle of last year, Folau signed up to play for a second-tier Australian rugby league team on Friday in his latest bid to end a sporting exile sparked by his homophobic social media posts.
Folau, 32, was sacked by Rugby Australia in May 2019 for a homophobic social media post saying that “hell awaits” gay people and others he considers sinners.
Folau has emphatically remained unrepentant about his past statements.
“No regrets at all in life… from, you know, my faith in God everything happens for a reason,” he said.
“I’m just grateful for that opportunity to get back on the field.”
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When questioned about his social media posts, Folau has said he stood by the Bible.
“Every written word that’s written in that book, I stand by that.”
Folau was a star NRL player early in his career, then switched to rugby union after an unsuccessful stint playing Australian Rules.
He scored 37 tries in 73 rugby union Tests before being dumped by Australia in 2019, then returned to the league in February last year in France with the Catalans Dragons.
Additional reporting by AFP
