Israel Folau signs two-year deal to stay with Waratahs
Israel Folau has confirmed he will play rugby for the next two years.
Folau has re-signed with the Waratahs and the Australian Rugby Union until the end of 2015, which will make him available to the Wallabies for the next World Cup in Great Britain.
In a major coup for the ARU, the dual international rejected offers to move back to his first professional code, rugby league, to stay in rugby.
“I’ve had a great experience with the Wallabies,” Folau said.
Advertisement “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 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 signed with the Waratahs at the end of last year after two seasons in AFL with Greater Western Sydney. He had been heavily tipped to move back to the NRL with the Parramatta Eels but a salary cap bungle allowed the Waratahs and ARU to snap him up.
Folau's relationship with Waratahs coach Michael Cheika and the rest of the squad is believed to have played a role in his decision to stay in rugby.
The 24-year-old also made his Test debut this year, scoring three tries for the Wallabies in five games on the wing.
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said: “Every week we’re finding more and more ways to use his unique skills.
“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.
“There wasn’t so much a question mark about whether he would be able to make the transition, it was more about how long it would take and he’s certainly done it faster than most.”
Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/rugby-unio...#ixzz2dJHouqcr
