14 Apr 2014

Fallout from Folau withdrawal continues

5:56 pm on 14 April 2014

The fallout over the Australian Rugby Union's decision to withdraw Israel Folau from a Super Rugby match at the weekend continues with suggestions the Wallabies fullback could turn his back on the code because of it.

Folau was named in New South Wales Waratahs team to play Western Force on Saturday, only for the ARU to withdraw him on the eve of the match.

The ARU cited concerns over the throat injury that forced him to miss the Waratahs' two previous games.

However Folau and Warratahs coach Michael Cheika were furious about the decision and how it was made.

Folau accepts the ARU were acting in what they thought were his interests but vented his anger over the fact nobody spoke to him before the decision was announced publicly.

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie backed the decision on Saturday and the ARU's chief medical officer Warren McDonald has stood by it.

McDonald says a decision on whether Folau would be available for the match against South Africa's Bulls in Sydney on Saturday would be made after further consultation with specialists this week.

Despite the row, ARU chief Bill Pulver says Folau would only be given the green light to play when the risk of permanent damage was at an acceptable level.