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Wallabies star Samu Kerevi says players who agreed with Israel Folau’s religious views were banned from speaking up in his defence by Rugby Australia.
The ABC will air a two-part documentary later this month on the saga that rocked Australian rugby and led to the star fullback losing his RA contract and being left out of the 2019 World Cup.
Folau has not been interviewed for the documentary, although it’s understood extracts from his interview with The Roar’s sister publication Athletes Voice will be read out to portray his point of view.
In a press release from the ABC on Wednesday, Kerevi was quoted as saying players were silenced.
“We got told from our media teams not to say anything about supporting ‘Izzy’ or saying anything at all,” Kerevi said.
“After those coming days, everyone that didn’t support him was all over the news. They were allowed to be interviewed, they were allowed to say they don’t support the message.
“That’s what annoyed us and made us angry. It’s like ‘Hey, you’re allowing one side of the story to be spoken about and to be supported, but not the other’. How come they’re allowed to speak, and we’re not?”
Kerevi’s view contradicts a statement from then Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle who said players were given the opportunity to express their views about Folau’s social media post.
Folau had written that hell awaits drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators.
“For most of us boys, it started turning to anger because there were so many things going on in rugby. People were going to court or whatever, and they’re not getting sacked,” Kerevi said.
“If someone does domestic violence, then he is OK to play. But someone that is posting someone that is in the Bible, that’s not play on. That balance, I just didn’t understand at the time and I didn’t want to accept. I was ready to go to battle for my faith and stand up for my beliefs.
“Me liking a post, it just turned from zero to 100 real quick. Being called a ‘bigot’ and stuff, and people saying ‘I’ll see you in hell’.
“It was really hard to take as a Polynesian group. As a Christian and a Polynesian, I understood both sides. I have family who are gay, and they’re Christians. I understand both sides.”
Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said it was a tough time for the sort in Australia as the Wallabies underperformed at the World Cup in Japan.
“That was a really difficult time for the team. Really difficult,” Michael Cheika said. “I was confronted in the street aggressively, many times by people. I imagine that was happening to players as well.”
Kerevi tells the documentary he has gay family members and understands both sides. But he flagged issues well before the Folau social media incident, when RA supported gay marriage in the 2017 plebiscite.
Kerevi, a devout Christian, lamented the lack of consultation with Pasifika players for whom this was a big deal.
“No one came up to us and asked us if we support it. You know, no one asked us our opinion on it. They just said, you know, Rugby Australia supports gay marriage.”