Former Wallabies full-back Israel Folau has announced his retirement from professional sport at the age of 37.
The controversial figure, who represented Australia in rugby union and league and Tonga in the former, has hung up his boots for good.
Folau was pursuing a return to the NRL with the West Tigers but has since abandoned those ambitions after a deal was not struck between his management and the Tigers before the June 30 deadline.
Israel Folau: “I’m done”
The dual international says that he has no regrets as he walks away from professional sport after almost two decades, despite his controversial parting with Rugby Australia after his contract was terminated in 2019 for code of conduct breaches over social media posts condemning homosexuality and other behaviour on religious grounds.
“Yeah, I’m done now. I’m not looking for any other opportunity in terms of playing at that level,” Folau told CODE Sports.
“I guess I’m still sort of processing it now. Still very fresh, I guess. It hasn’t really sunk in just yet.
“I look across my time playing the game, I was very blessed to play at the highest level for even that long.”
Folau represented Australia at three Rugby World Cups, the first of with in league back in 2008 before switching codes and representing the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions in 2013 as well as at the 2015 and 2019 tournaments.
He also had a stint in the AFL with Greater Western Sydney in between, having started his professional sporting career with the Melbourne Storms back in 2007. Folau played for the Brisbane Broncos before switching codes and going on to play 96 times for the Waratahs, where he became the all-time leading try scorer in Super Rugby, a record that has since been broken.
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Following the termination of his Rugby Australia contract, Folau spent a season back in league with the Catalans Dragons before returning to union with the Urayasu D-Rocks in Japan.
After adhering to World Rugby’s three-year standown period from international rugby, he was able to switch his allegiance to Tonga and was on course to represent the ʻIkale Tahi at the 2023 World Cup before sustaining a knee injury.
In the interview with CODE Sports, Folau admitted that there had been moments where he questioned his choices during the difficult chapters of his career.
“There’s a bit of doubt. You second-guess yourself and whether you are doing the right thing,” he said.
“But I think growth comes in the most challenging times of your life.
“There was moments there where I tried the best that I could and still wasn’t good enough.”
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No regrets
However, he has no regrets.
“There’s definitely no regret. I’m 100 per cent very blessed,” he said.
“I think God orchestrates everything that happens in life. You might not understand things at that moment, but when you look back as time goes on, things fall into place.
“I believe that God doesn’t make any mistakes.
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“I look at the blessings I’ve had across my career and it’s been awesome. I’ve gotten to enjoy that journey and I’m looking forward to the next part.”
Whilst Folau has called time on his professional sporting career, he is set to feature in the Nines Premier League tournament on the Gold Coast in January and said that he would be open to any grassroots opportunities going forward.
During his time with the Wallabies, Folau was widely regarded as one of the best full-backs in the game. He racked up 73 Test matches in the XV-a-side game for Australia, scoring 37 tries in the process.
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