Israel Folau could play for Tonga in the Rugby World Cup after coach Toutai Kefu said he would ‘love to have him’.
The coach has been in contact with the Australian rugby player’s camp about encouraging him to represent the country in the world cup in France in 2023.
It’s believed the Pacific nation is expected to select Folau’s brother, John, for this year’s tournament, set to take place in Japan in September.
There is a possibility controversial former Wallabies player Israel Folau (pictured with wife, Maria) could play for Tonga in the 2023 Rugby World Cup
It’s believed the Pacific nation are expected to select Folau’s brother, John, (pictured together) for this year’s tournament set to take place in Japan in September
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Kefu has contacted Folau’s represented with the hopes of getting him qualified for the 2023 World Cup.
As he’s already competed in the tournament for Australia, it will be hard for him to play for another country.
But if he’s willing to not play any international rugby for three years, Folau would just have to participate in an Olympic sevens qualifying tournament to make the switch.
While Kefu and Folau haven’t spoken directly about the prospect of moving to represent Tonga, there have been suggestions he made contact with his team.
‘We’d love to have him … the next World Cup he’d be available for us hopefully,’ he told the publication.
‘It’s a long time away, so we’ll let the dust settle a bit after his most recent issues. We don’t even know if he’s going to play again. He hasn’t indicated where he is going, so we’ll wait until the dust settles and then look at those options.’
‘He’d have to sit out three years and then even after that we’d have to re-qualify him through a sevens Olympic qualifying tournament.’
Meanwhile, Kefu said Folau’s younger brother will be named in the upcoming World Cup squad in the coming week.
As he’s already competed in the tournament for Australia, it will be hard for Folau to play for another country
While Kefu and Folau haven’t spoken directly about the prospect of moving to represent Tonga, there have been suggestions he made contact with his team
The news comes just days after Folau refuted speculation that he deliberately got himself sacked.
In a letter to Rugby Australia directors, he insisted that he is not ‘sick of rugby’.
The 30-year-old also blasted officials after details of his Code of Conduct hearing were leaked to Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph.
In the letter sent on Saturday, Folau dismissed speculation he wanted to be fired from playing Rugby Union because he no longer enjoyed the sport.
‘I am not ‘sick of rugby’ and whoever told the media that I am is telling lies,’ Folau wrote in the letter obtained by The Sunday Telegraph.
The news comes just days after Folau refuted speculation that he deliberately got himself sacked
According to the leaks, Folau admitted he was guilty of posting an offensive image on social media (pictured), which is against Rugby Australia’s Code of Conduct
Folau also requested an explanation as to how the media was able to obtain confidential information from his hearing.
‘This is blatantly unfair. As you know, the tribunal hearing must be closed and private, and Rugby Australia was obliged to keep all information confidential,’ he wrote.
‘I would like to know why Rugby Australia has not managed to maintain the integrity of its processes and ensure that information was kept private and confidential.’
News Corp obtained secret details regarding Folau’s hearing and published them in their newspapers and online.
Reports covered each of Folau’s three days at his hearing and detailed several major turning points in his case.
According to the leaks, Folau admitted he was guilty of posting an offensive image on social media, which is against Rugby Australia’s Code of Conduct.
The image was posted on Folau’s Instagram account and said homosexuals are going to hell.
Folau also allegedly said that he would not delete the post from social media because it would send him to hell.
An independent tribunal found Folau guilty of a high-level breach of their Code of Conduct and he was subsequently fired by Rugby Australia.
Folau is challenging his dismissal, claiming it was unlawful and he is being discriminated against because of his religion.