Land Rover reportedly repossessed Israel Folau's courtesy car last month.GETTY IMAGES
Australian rugby player Israel Folau "had his sponsored car confiscated by Land Rover following his controversial comments regarding the gay community," according to Jamie Pandaram of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. The luxury car company, which signed an A$850,000 ($638,300)-a-year deal with Rugby Australia in February, replacing BMW as the Wallabies' car sponsor, gave Folau a new car. But after Folau wrote on Instagram that "gays were destined for hell," Land Rover repossessed the vehicle. Land Rover said that Folau was never an official ambassador. The company's withdrawal of the car is "the first financial hit Folau has taken for his fundamental Christian stance" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 5/17).
'FOCUSING ON FOOTY': The AAP's Darren Walton reported Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is "confident" Folau will not "walk from rugby despite the divisive superstar understood to be on his last chance after a series of controversial online posts about homosexuality." Cheika on Thursday revealed he spoke to Folau about social media use and would remind his entire Wallabies squad next month of its responsibilities "after six weeks of turmoil for the code." Despite "continuing to routinely preach his extreme religious beliefs on Twitter even since crisis talks" with RA CEO Raelene Castle last month, Cheika is "hopeful fans have seen the last of Folau's provocative posts" (AAP, 5/17).
