Israel Folau's decorated Wallabies career appears over after Rugby Australia's vow to terminate his multi-million-dollar contract unless the dual international can explain his latest social media attacks on homosexuals.
RA boss Raelene Castle on Thursday night reported Folau missing in action and issued a joint statement with NSW Waratahs supremo Andrew Hore declaring their intention to sensationally sack Australian rugby's most prized asset.
"Rugby Australia and the NSW Rugby Union have made repeated attempts to contact Israel both directly and via his representatives since 6.30pm on Wednesday, and at this point he has failed to communicate directly with either organisation," the RA statement said.
"Whilst Israel is entitled to his religious beliefs, the way in which he has expressed these beliefs is inconsistent with the values of the sport.
"We want to make it clear that he does not speak for the game with his recent social media posts."
RA's integrity unit was first called to investigate on Wednesday night after Folau took to Instagram to proclaim hell awaits "drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters".
The three-times John Eales Medallist had been warned - but not sanctioned - after testing Castle's patience with a series of homophobic posts last year, most notably one that said "God's plan for gay people was "HELL".
"Israel has failed to understand that the expectation of him as a Rugby Australia and NSW Waratahs employee is that he cannot share material on social media that condemns, vilifies or discriminates against people on the basis of their sexuality," the statement continued.
"Rugby is a sport that continuously works to unite people. We want everyone to feel safe and welcome in our game and no vilification based on race, gender, religion or sexuality is acceptable and no language that isolates, divides or insults people based on any of those factors can be tolerated.
"In the absence of compelling mitigating factors, it is our intention to terminate his contract."
Folau, who on Saturday became Super Rugby's all-time leading try-scorer, only two months ago recommitted to Australian rugby until the end of 2022 in a deal that would have made the 30-year-old a decade-long stalwart.
But he had threatened to walk away from the game after first being hauled over the coals last year.
"This is not about money or bargaining power or contracts," Folau said at the time.
"It's about what I believe in and never compromising that, because my faith is far more important to me than my career and always will be."
Intriguingly, Folau has gone AWOL during a Waratahs bye week.
Former Wallabies World Cup captain Stirling Mortlock was puzzled by Folau's motives but believed the try-scoring whiz had forced RA's hand this time.
"But you'd love to get to the bottom as to why,' Mortlock told AAP.
"Why has he done it?
"Everyone knows his point of view, right? He's done this a number of times already.
"So it's more (about) what was the motivations to going again knowing full well that he was probably going to get sanctioned?"
Two-time World Cup winner Tim Horan lauded Folau as one of the 25 all-time greatest Wallabies and a "great, knock-around bloke", but said there was a time and a place to air his extreme religious beliefs.
"He's been warned," Horan told Fox Sports.
The Rugby Union Players' Association, while not endorsing Folau's actions or views, said it would support Folau if he chose to challenge RA's intended termination.
Australian Associated Press
