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Tongan players threatening boycott

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11,391
Also remember, quote the from the bible...

"Thou shall not steal"

But Andrew John's stole Daniel John's in 1997 after the ARL GF.


Now he's a NRL legend
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,039
RLIF will block this. Just the Tonga board trying to deflect the past fortnight of news.
 
Messages
11,391
Israel Folau is attempting to return to rugby league at the end of the year to represent Tonga in Tests against Great Britain and the Kangaroos.

However, it is understood there will be a strong push by members of the board of the Rugby League International Federation to veto the move at an upcoming meeting.

The Tonga National Rugby League released a statement on Monday to say the former Storm and Broncos star and his younger brother John, who played eight NRL matches for Parramatta in 2015-16, had made themselves available for Mate Ma'a Tonga.

Both brothers have been playing rugby union in recent seasons for the Waratahs with Israel also representing the Wallabies before his contract was terminated by Rugby Australia due to a homophobic social media post in April.

Israel is in the midst of a court dispute with Rugby Australia, seeking a multimillion-dollar sum in lost wages following his sacking in May.

He played eight Tests for the Kangaroos from 2007-09. His last year in the NRL was 2010 and played 91 games across two stints with Melbourne and Brisbane, scoring 73 tries.

“I don’t want to bring any of my personal matters into this and I am grateful that the IRLF have endorsed my availability,” he said in the TNRL statement.

“What I will do now is focus on playing great rugby league and do my talking on the field.”

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/09/23...s-bid-to-make-rugby-league-return-with-tonga/
 
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11,391
imagev138de498be4ea530ef656d9c44d0221a1-2zfxg1trhi4bteos9q2_t1880.jpg
 

Bojackhorseman

Juniors
Messages
331
Israel Folau is attempting to return to rugby league at the end of the year to represent Tonga in Tests against Great Britain and the Kangaroos.

However, it is understood there will be a strong push by members of the board of the Rugby League International Federation to veto the move at an upcoming meeting.

The Tonga National Rugby League released a statement on Monday to say the former Storm and Broncos star and his younger brother John, who played eight NRL matches for Parramatta in 2015-16, had made themselves available for Mate Ma'a Tonga.

Both brothers have been playing rugby union in recent seasons for the Waratahs with Israel also representing the Wallabies before his contract was terminated by Rugby Australia due to a homophobic social media post in April.

Israel is in the midst of a court dispute with Rugby Australia, seeking a multimillion-dollar sum in lost wages following his sacking in May.

He played eight Tests for the Kangaroos from 2007-09. His last year in the NRL was 2010 and played 91 games across two stints with Melbourne and Brisbane, scoring 73 tries.

“I don’t want to bring any of my personal matters into this and I am grateful that the IRLF have endorsed my availability,” he said in the TNRL statement.

“What I will do now is focus on playing great rugby league and do my talking on the field.”

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/09/23...s-bid-to-make-rugby-league-return-with-tonga/
Tonga are now more entertaining off the field than on it. Every time our game takes a step forward internationally we find a way of taking several steps back.
 

parrawentyfan

Juniors
Messages
730
Interesting development.

I think it would be good if he plays. Foremost because Australia cannot be seen to control the rest of the world. Just because what he did doesn't conform with the values of the NRL shouldn't prevent him from playing with another country if he is eligible.

If Tonga want to take the heat from that decision it's up to them.
 

Bojackhorseman

Juniors
Messages
331
Interesting development.

I think it would be good if he plays. Foremost because Australia cannot be seen to control the rest of the world. Just because what he did doesn't conform with the values of the NRL shouldn't prevent him from playing with another country if he is eligible.

If Tonga want to take the heat from that decision it's up to them.
So which country will agree to play against him? Especially once the rlif bans him? Tuvalu?
 

Bojackhorseman

Juniors
Messages
331
You think another country would boycott playing Folau?
I think so yes. I also think the rlif will block him anyway. I also wonder why we as a sport would want all of the negative publicity that would follow if he were allowed to play anyway. Great way of giving the rah rahs the high moral ground.
 
Messages
21,867
I think so yes. I also think the rlif will block him anyway. I also wonder why we as a sport would want all of the negative publicity that would follow if he were allowed to play anyway. Great way of giving the rah rahs the high moral ground.

I'd be stunned if a country boycotted because of Folau.

To me this should be Tonga's call, I doubt the RLIF would interfere if Australia selected someone controversial.
 

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