Exciting outside back Israel Folau has rebuffed a return to the National Rugby League by signing a one-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union on Thursday.
The ARU said Folau, 24, has committed to the code after a stellar first season with the New South Wales Waratahs that led to his outstanding Test debut for the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions.
Folau, a former rugby league international, has been a smash hit in union since switching codes from AFL — Australian rules football — and scored two tries in a memorable debut for the Wallabies in the first Test against the Lions in June.
“I’ve had a great experience with the Wallabies,” Folau said.
“We’ve got a young squad and a great coach and we’re building our game. We’re only going to get better.
“The Rugby World Cup (in 2015) is definitely a draw card. To be a part of that would be an awesome experience, but that’s still a long time away and we’ve got a lot to achieve in the meantime.
“I’ve really enjoyed my rugby experience so far. I’ve had the opportunity to travel and challenge myself all over the world. There’s still a lot I can achieve in rugby and that really excites me.”
Folau has had a memorable and varied career — the youngest player, at 18, to make his rugby league Test debut for Australia, winning multiple State of Origin series with Queensland, an NRL grand final with Melbourne Storm and two seasons in the AFL.
In making his Test debut for the Wallabies against the Lions, Folau became the only player to successfully compete at the highest level in all three of Australia’s contact football codes.
Folau, who had been linked in reports to a return to the NRL, was one of the shining lights of the Wallabies three-Test campaign against the Lions and scored a long-range intercept try in Australia’s loss to the All Blacks in Wellington last weekend.
New Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said Folau had made the transition to rugby union with surprising ease and he would continue to develop with more time in the game.
“There’s unlimited potential, he’s got a lot of really good attributes. He’s enigmatic, he just does things a bit differently and it allows us to use him in different ways,” McKenzie said.
Folau re-signs Rugby Union deal to end League talk
