As I woke up a tad groggy on Sunday morning (I had been up all night watching the Barbarians versus Lions game), my morning went from bad to worse when I switched on the TV to my morning sports news.
The first headline mentioned: Israel Folau had all but agreed to terms to sign with the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Which means that there is a 95% certainty that he will sign for them.
Izzy, what? No? You’re great in rugby! Why? What happened to Team Tonga with Cliffy Palu, Taf and Peter Betham?
Like all union fans I was shocked, gutted and dumbfounded. I can only wonder how gutted they are at NSWRU headquarters.
Money aside, why on earth would you switch to the Bulldogs of all places? Like really? Playing at Parramatta or Paris? Brookvale or Bloemfontein? Training at Twickenham or Toongabbie?
You seem like a nice, quiet unassuming guy Izzy. Rugby union offered you an olive branch when your contract talks went sour with the Eels, and a very respectable salary.
Even if Robbie Deans has a successful season, it’s unlikely that he will be around next year; he wants to win and you’re lucky you have found yourself in the right place at the right time.
What on earth must the South Africans and the Kiwis be thinking about your decision? They’d be gobsmacked. Nobody puts a price on their jersey!
No-one knows what your manager is saying in your ear (probably serving in the best interest of his commission, ka-ching).
This story too could have its political intentions; whether this story is to try and squeeze the last drop out of the ARU as a bargaining ploy or the NRL trying to divert the attention from the Lions series prior to Origin.
It is hardly an appropriate way to behave or conduct business by you and your management team given the timing going into a Lions series and potentially your first international for the Wallabies.
On the flip side you have the potential to be an Olympian, play in rugby world cups and play all over the world.
Isn’t that enough of a carrot in itself to dangle in front of anyone? People train all their lives in their respective fields to become an Olympian, and here you have it nearly served on a plate for you, and that’s still not good enough?
If Bill Pulver and the ARU can only offer $680,000 at best, while the Bulldogs offering around $750K, you’re only going to net about 35K extra after tax. Is it worth it? Does loyalty to play for your country in a world game really that cheap when you’re on the best cash possible?
Also in terms of your development, if you wanted to become a better player, stay in rugby. The game demands a more varied skill set, you’re more aware of you peripherals and it’s also faster.
Israel, you seem like an admirable type guy who has athletic gifts that by far exceed anyone, you have the potential to be one of the greatest rugby footballers of all time across many borders. This is an opportunity that only rugby union can advance across multiple nations.
clipper
Guest
Johnno - they may be moving towards 4 years but 1995,2000,2008.2013 makes for an irregular interval. Don't think the London expansion has worked too well - many of the crowds for the London Broncos this year have been sub 2000. All this is getting off the subject somewhat and I would reiterate that Izzy should be free to do what he pleases, but should commit to Rugby to earn the right to play the Lions and gain the massive international exposure that comes with it that he would never get playing the 13 man game.
joker
Guest
or the wanderers.or sydney swifts
joker
Guest
if a rl player wanted to see the world wouldt he just go on holidays in off season.
Ajax
Guest
Maybe Im a simpleton.. but surely the Dogs with a salary cap can't match what the ARU could throw at Folau?? I mean, if QC doesnt get picked for the Wallabies this year, he might cross to league himself.. that would leave a lot of money in the ARU coffers to throw at Israel... Man I hope he stays, from what he has shown so far, he could be unstoppable come the next world cup.
Bealefan
Guest
he could be a superstar in a global game rather than a two city wonder...such a shame if he is lost to Rugby, but yeah we have plenty of depth in the back 3...and Izzy played Union as a kid. League fans dont like to be reminded of where they got their stock from... Some of their greats came from Rugby...Dally Messenger, Russel fairfax, Wally Lewis, Ray Price, Michael O'connor, Ricky Stuart, Cooper cronk etc etc
Johnno
Guest
clipper. Now rugby league is moving towards a world cup every 4 years. The next one is being scheduled in 2017. Good points about England and France, being ahead of the aussies. The point was all that lsot time now, France with rugby league banned or undermined, France has alot of catching up to do. But now with a team in the ESL, things are looking up and better development structures in place, things are on the up. England are expanding rugby league more outside the north, at least around London. Time will tell. But France no chance to win the RLWC, those odds show why.
Jerry
Guest
Including Matthew Ridge, Daryl Halligan, Kurt Sherlock, Craig Innes and John Timu on that list is absurd. And Eion Crossan was crap at rugby too, Kirwan was old when he converted. Ellis was about as good at League as he was at rugby. There are a bunch of guys who failed at League, but that list is bogus.
Shop
Guest
Josiah Whether RL or RU is "faster" is hard to debate because the flow of both games is so different. However trying to talk up the RLWC is rather sad...
clipper
Guest
Johnno - you say than the RLWC has been going since 1954 and that Rugby has had only one more winner, but they've had two more winners in the period since 1987 when the RWC started. People seem to forget how strong England and France were in earlier - England was even ahead of Australia - but that was in the glory days of league in the '50's and 60's and are long gone - so much so that France is 250-1 to win this years RLWC. The other correction is that the RLWC isn't every four years - the last one was in 2008.
Australian Rules
Guest
1) Agree - Bloemfontein is a hole. 2) The NRL has a greater profile in Australia...but Super Rugby + Wallabies tours easily trumps it.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Like a few here i am not in the least surprised , the ARU by degrees has being reduced to beggars for stain-resistant talent from Lloyd Walker , Matt Rodgers, Lote Tuquiri , Dell onwards but as I have said before it's their own making let them wallow in it -I just want to see Izzy play his magic just a few more fleeting times before he is lost forever to rugby
Jonny Boy Jnr
Guest
Hopefully there is a chance he will stay. He'll be a lynchpin of the backline and with Digby off chasing the $ why not pay this guy enough to stay (who is probably a better player anyway) ? He has a good provincial coach, with a good national coach anything is possible with this guy
Rockin Rod
Guest
He has signed with the roosters
Johnno
Guest
Rubbish go back and watch some of the ASHES GB tests, in the 80's and 90's and say if they didn't mean anything. Some of those ASHES tours were amongst the best sport I have ever watched, and many of those GB teams especially late 80's 1988-94 had quality teams were neck and neck with the aussies. And the 2000 World cup final was an awesome game, as was the 1992 and 95 world cup finals at Wembley. Plus the 2000 and 2008 finals were good too. So international league has more scope than you think, and respect, and now with a fair dinkum world cup every 4 years rugby league is on the up. Oh and the lopsided games argument check some of the stats of some of the rugby world cup matches it don't read for preety reading. Some of the hidings England,NZ,South Africa, have dished out to the likes of Japan, Tonga, Samoa. Heck NZ put 145 points on a hapless Japanese side. And they put a big score on them at the last world cup too. Georgia has copped a few hidings, as have Fiji and Romania, and many other countries USA/Canada/Russia. So there are minnows in both. And as for the more teams can win, ha ha. Rugby union has only won 1 more team, has won a world cups o the ledger stands 4-3. RL- Aust/NZ/GB . France has been runner up before as in the rugby, and France rugby league was banned for so long Fance would of won a rugby league world cup by now. You can thank the rah rah loving vichy french for that, feeling thereatend by rugby league's popularity. Runion- Aust/NZ/South Africa/England Oh and the rugby league world cup has been going since 1954, the rugby union world cup has been going since 1987, so history wise rugby league world cup has been around longer.
Malo
Guest
Yeah like the players and spectators give a toss about the RL world cup. Origin and club league matters tests not so much. If Folau has signed he should be removed from the 25 and Mogg should get a go.
Tj
Guest
Playing for your country in League is not somewhat less of an honor, it's not even in the same ball park as a Wallaby jersey. There's no competition in League at international level it's a joke, I'd say its more of an honor playing State of origin but there doesn't seem to be any competition there either... May aswell play AFL at international level
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
I can verify that the Morris twins played Rugby as juniors alongside League. How? I played both with and against them. Good footballers.
Johnno
Guest
One could say guys the 5 second rule is making rugby union go more like rugby league. With the 5 second rules, teams are commiting less numbers to the breakdown, hence then the defence has higher numbers set , waiting to tackle the next play. So the gaps are less and narrower not more. Mind you speedy plays can lead to more tired defences, maybe rugby union should look at a 10 metre line in defence im not sure what is the current number , maybe 5.
Wilson Flatley
Roar Rookie
The NRL is a more high profile competiton in NSW and QLD, in NZ, SA, and Europe, Super Rugby is far more high-profile. It is an international competition, not a (basically) domestic code. I agree with Bloemfontein though haha... horrible place when i visited
Wilson Flatley
Roar Rookie
They do have the money, 1.5million a year for a corporation like the ARU is pocket change, it is the problem among other players/other super rugby franchises that it would make. He would have to be paid basically double what any other RU player in the country is being paid, and that would cause friction among player and manager ranks, as well as gigantic crying from the SR franchises that he was not sent to play for by the ARU. If they genuinely thought the marketing value of stealing GI was worth it then they could certainly afford it, and with ARU top-up contracts they are not bound by any form of salary cap.