UPDATE 2-Rugby-Vunipola stands firm after 'liking' controversial Folau comments
Folau, a fundamentalist Christian, was informed by Rugby Australia (RA) on Thursday he would be sacked if he could offer no good reason for a social media post that said gay people would go to "hell" if they did not "repent". Vunipola said he had been told by three people to withdraw his apparent support to Folau's post.
"He's saying how we live our lives needs to be closer to how God intended them to be. Man was made for woman to pro create that was the goal no?," Vunipola wrote on Instagram. Folau's post has been 'liked' on Instagram by more than 30,000 users, which according to Australian media reports, included some of his Wallabies team mates.
Vunipola was born in Australia to Tongan parents but moved to the UK as a child and qualified for England through residency. He and his brother Mako both play for Saracens, England's leading Premiership club. "I don't HATE anyone neither do I think I'm perfect," Vunipola added.
"There just comes a point when you insult what I grew up believing in that you just say enough is enough, what he's saying isn't that he doesn't like or love those people." The Rugby Football Union (RFU) stressed they do not support Vunipola's views and will meet the England international as a result.
"Rugby is an inclusive sport, and we do not support these views," an RFU spokeswoman said in an email. "We will be meeting with Billy to discuss his social media posts." Saracens also condemned Vunipola's comments and said the club will deal with the matter internally.
"We recognise that people have different belief systems and we expect everyone to be treated equally with respect and humility," Saracens said in a statement https://www.saracens.com/news-article/club-statement-regarding-billy-vunipola. "As representatives and role models, Saracens players have a responsibility not only to themselves but to the club and wider society.
"Billy Vunipola's recent social media posts are inconsistent with this and we take this matter very seriously. It will be handled internally." Folau had posted similar comments last year but escaped sanction and signed a new deal with RA through 2022 in February.
That multi-million dollar contract looks certain to be torn up unless Folau can convince RA and the New South Wales Waratahs that there are "compelling mitigating factors" for sharing the post. Folau has played 73 tests and helped Australia to the final of the 2015 World Cup in England, where they were beaten by New Zealand. (Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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