Folau’s huge rap for rugby in surprise podcast hit

Rugby Australia tore up his lucrative contract five years ago but Israel Folau still has a lot of love for the game.
Once the face of rugby in Australia, the Wallabies superstar was banished in 2019 for posting homophobic content on social media and now plies his trade in Japan.
But the 35-year-old has reemerged in the headlines this week after a sit down interview with the Ebbs and Flows podcast.
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Israel Folau playing for Queensland in 2010. Getty
Folau burst onto the NRL scene as a precocious teenager at the Storm in 2007 and was a dominant league force until 2010.
An ill-fated AFL stint followed before Folau made another bombshell code switch to rugby in 2013.
“I think I’m better at rugby than league,” Folau said.
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Israel Folau of Australia scores a try at Twickenham. Getty
“And I enjoy playing rugby a lot more than league. I’ll tell you why – because being an outside back and that – when you’re playing league, if I’m playing on the right edge, I’m just there, the whole 80 minutes, you know what I mean?
“When you play rugby as an outside back you have the freedom to roam around and go and play on both sides of the field. So that’s something I really enjoy.”
Folau scored 37 tries in 73 Tests for the Wallabies between 2013-19.
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His Super Rugby try-scoring record of 60 stood until it was broken this year by TJ Perenara (63) and Julian Savea (62).
“You can pretty much pop yourself up anywhere you like, you know. And I guess as a fullback in league, that’s what they do, obviously in that game. Any outside back can do that in rugby,” he said.
“Whether you’re a winger, centre or fullback, it doesn’t matter. You can just pop up wherever you want, you know.
Israel Folau at nib Stadium. Getty
“So that’s something I really enjoy. And then there’s so much tactics that go into the game as well. Field position is big and so there’s a lot more that goes into it. League is a lot more of a basic game but physically more demanding to play the game.”
Folau now plays Test rugby for Tonga but believes he would still be good enough to represent the Wallabies.
“I think I could, that’s just my mindset,” he said.
“If I got given the opportunity to go into that changing room and put on the gold jersey again tomorrow, I think I’d fit straight in.
“I’m not being arrogant or anything, it’s just the confidence and the mindset that I have about being there.
“I don’t like to look down on certain players, I know the challenge of what it’s like to play at an international level. I’m 35 now and been around for a bit of time, but the mindset and the hunger’s still there as when I was 17 and just coming into the NRL.”