The Australian Rugby Union has sensationally withdrawn Israel Folau from the NSW line-up to play Western Force on Saturday night, less than 36 hours after the Waratahs had deemed the fullback fit to play.
In a highly unusual move, the ARU received their own advice on the gifted No.15 who’d sustained a throat injury against the Melbourne Rebels in a Super Rugby match on March 21.
While he travelled to South Africa for the second match of their two-fixture tour, he was ruled unfit to play in the clash with the Stormers last weekend.
On Thursday he was named in the Waratahs’ side by coach Michael Cheika.
But the ARU stepped in on the eve of the Australian derby, chief medical officer Dr Warren McDonald making his decision based on specialist medical advice.
“Advice from our medical specialists is that Israel’s throat injury hasn’t healed to the point where it’s in his best interests to return to play tomorrow night,” Dr McDonald said in a statement from the ARU.
“This is a player welfare issue, which has been the focus of all medical staff involved in this difficult decision, and we’ll continue to work on the plan for his return as soon as possible.”
The call by the ARU to overrule a state decision on player fitness is thought to be unprecedented in Super Rugby.
Folau offered a one-word tweet on Friday night: “Frustrated”.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
And what if the ARU turns around and declares Izzy is 'fit to play' next weekend when they have let it be known that full healing on the injury will take anything up to six months ? The whole australian rugby scene will be in an uproar !! Mr Pulver had better do some fence mending soon or he will be handed his hat in favour of the arch-do-nothing-to-rock-the-shute-shield-boat JON O'NEILL
Tricky Dick
Roar Rookie
It may be idle speculation, but as an impartial and clearly rational third party :) I'd say it's not an entirely foolhardy question. A question of my own to follow up: Would Force at Warratahs sell out without Izzy playing? Honest question
Nova
Guest
A carve up? Not so much....
Nova
Guest
Izzy is lapping up the attention. Like Link said its only a week I'm sure his pay won't be docked by his bosses. Storm in a teacup.
Magic Sponge
Guest
$40-$75 a ticket a bit steep, yeah at the game good ground to watch rugbybut yeah no sell out
Cadfael
Guest
What was worse was no one from the ARU contracted him. NSW has said, their team doctor was totally bypassed, which is not what the ARU said in the article.
Cadfael
Guest
Crowd was about fourteen and a half thousand.
Cadfael
Guest
Seriously, had the ARU called their doctors to examine him, fair enough. They didn't, they telephoned a specialist and asked what he thought, then pulled him from the team. No contacting the NSW coach or the NSW team doctor. It was very poorly handled by the ARU, I just hope this won't blow up.
Justin3
Guest
J
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
On the live call tonight, he said that he accepted the risk....reading that tells me there is some doubt as to the outcome. The ARU pays the insurance I assume, and Folau hinted, either facetiously or not, that it could be 6 months....there is a lot more to this than meets the eye.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
In this case Folau has said that the team doctor and specialist had cleared him. He has said he has not been approached or spoken to by the ARU or any of their medicos for them to make a decision on him. What will the ARU do, rule him out every week until the tests start?
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
Wow....There is a new angle! Izzy has just admitted on TV that there is a risk and he accepts that risk, obviously at his ARU doesn't . There is much more to this story than we are seeing just now......it could be 6 months!?
DMac
Guest
Hah, they've just announced it's Lance at 15. It failed horribly against the sharks, don't know why they would try it again. Odds shortening for the force.
Bakkies
Guest
Munster did this with Donnacha Ryan brought him back early for a HEC match since he has been out injured a lot and this going back a few months. This is a player who is around 30 and injury prone.
Bakkies
Guest
You would expect a player to be angry but often players put themselves up to play when they aren't ready.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Good call by the ARU. The Tahs have form with regards to player welfare, or lack there of as it were.
The Moondawwg
Roar Rookie
The general public rotations by other rugby powers - especially NZ - are seasoned vets whose bodies probably need the rest..... Not new to the game, on fire, try scoring machines that just had a 2 year sabbatical in AFL. This should be a good depth test for the Tah's back line (considering current Force form). Has the new lineup been announced? I would like to see CamCraw at FB for his boot and defense reads - he also provides the finishing threat. Carraro promoted. The rest of the back line mixed and matched as Cheika sees fit. Although I feel we'll see KB to FB and Lance to IC. ANYWAYS....... GO YOU TAHS!!!!!!
Panko
Guest
You and me both
Ronaldo
Guest
Izzy actually lives in his body & it seems he is 'pissed off'. ARU need to be very careful ... seems they have annoyed him which is not smart. He gets paid to play & he wants to play.
PiratesRugby
Guest
We don't know what's really going on behind the scenes. Is it possible that the Tahs had medical advice which was equivocal? Perhaps the mail was that Folau wouldn't play and then suddenly he's on the team sheet? Perhaps someone at the Tags was supposed to communicate with someone at ARU and didn't, so the ARU reacted? I'm not surprised that there is tension between the ARU and the Tahs. The Tahs certainly think of their own interests above all else. No, I don't like the Tahs.