Folau hearing extended to third day

You are currently viewing Folau hearing extended to third day
Wallabies fullback Israel Folau

Israel Folau’s landmark code of conduct hearing will reconvene on Tuesday as no resolution could be reached following a two-day inquest in Sydney this weekend.

After a full day of testimony and negotiations on Saturday, the hearing resumed on Sunday. The beleaguered Folau attended the second day as did Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle and New South Wales Rugby CEO Andrew Hore.

Castle and Hore were asked to provide verbal evidence for the second day running in support of RA’s argument that the 30-year-old has breached both the player code of conduct and social media policies.

Folau’s defence team argued that his Instagram post claiming ‘hell awaits homosexuals and other sinners unless they repent and turn to Jesus’ was merely a Bible passage and not his direct words.

Both Folau’s defence counsel and RA’s legal team will return on Tuesday after more than 15 hours of legal arguments weren’t enough for the three-person independent panel to start considering a decision.

Folau is said to have turned down an offer of 1 million Australian dollars to walk away from Australian rugby before his code of conduct hearing began on Saturday.

Photo: Jono Searle/Getty Images