Australia's highest paid rugby player refuses to retract "homophobic" statement
05-01-2019, 09:01 AM
Rugby Australia faces a potential mutiny from its Pacific Island players after Reds and Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou stated they “might as well” sack them over their religious beliefs.
https://www.planetrugby.com/news/might-a...mu-kerevi/
"The tighthead posted a message on Facebook, which has since been deleted, defending team-mate Samu Kerevi, who felt the need to apologise after publicly expressing his beliefs on Instagram.
Kerevi put up a passage from the Bible around Easter before adding: “Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I love you Jesus.”
However, Tupou leapt to his defence, writing: “Seriously? Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs?
“I will never apologise for my faith and what I believe in, religion had nothing to do with rugby anyways?”"
Tupou isnt a particularly well known member of the Australian team but Kerevi is.. A long standing fixture in the team's midfield.
Kerevi put up another Biblical screed on Easter Weekend, having previously liked Folau's controversial tweet.
Last weekend Billy Vunipola was 'confronted' by an Irish fan who ran onto the pitch to yell abuse at him.
There are five previous instances of this happening that I can recall.
1. A South African fan ran onto the pitch to attack the referee during an SA-New Zealand game. It took the players by surprise but when they realised they battered the fan.
2. A drunk fan during the Oxford Cambridge University match tried to join in play and was punched several times by both sides.
3. A drunk fan ran up to Ollie Barkley the then England player during a Bath Rugby game. Barkley picked him up and dumped him on his back in an outlawed 'spear' tackle.
4. A drunk pitch invader at the Hong Kong international sevens was shepherded toward the touchline by Gurkha soldiers doing security who held his arms before another Gurkha hurdled in and stiff armed him in the face.
5. A 10 year old tried to get near to New Zealand's """""Muslim"""" rugby player Sonny Bill Williams at the last World Cup final. Security tackled him to the ground before he even got close. It was all smoothed over and Sonny Bill the Attention Hound gave him his match jersey on the spot.
Pitch invasion used to be something that was discouraged, all those pitch invaders above apart from 5. received touchline bans and faced criminal proceedings ...
The players never received any censure for their actions in response..
but as far as anyone can make out the Munster fan who had a go at Vunipola was described as 'confronting' Vunipola over his terrible views and has faced no action whatsoever.
Meanwhile the Gays and Dykes running Australian rugby and its sponsors may be facing a Tongan/ Polynesian rebellion.
https://www.planetrugby.com/news/might-a...mu-kerevi/
"The tighthead posted a message on Facebook, which has since been deleted, defending team-mate Samu Kerevi, who felt the need to apologise after publicly expressing his beliefs on Instagram.
Kerevi put up a passage from the Bible around Easter before adding: “Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I love you Jesus.”
However, Tupou leapt to his defence, writing: “Seriously? Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs?
“I will never apologise for my faith and what I believe in, religion had nothing to do with rugby anyways?”"
Tupou isnt a particularly well known member of the Australian team but Kerevi is.. A long standing fixture in the team's midfield.
Kerevi put up another Biblical screed on Easter Weekend, having previously liked Folau's controversial tweet.
Last weekend Billy Vunipola was 'confronted' by an Irish fan who ran onto the pitch to yell abuse at him.
There are five previous instances of this happening that I can recall.
1. A South African fan ran onto the pitch to attack the referee during an SA-New Zealand game. It took the players by surprise but when they realised they battered the fan.
2. A drunk fan during the Oxford Cambridge University match tried to join in play and was punched several times by both sides.
3. A drunk fan ran up to Ollie Barkley the then England player during a Bath Rugby game. Barkley picked him up and dumped him on his back in an outlawed 'spear' tackle.
4. A drunk pitch invader at the Hong Kong international sevens was shepherded toward the touchline by Gurkha soldiers doing security who held his arms before another Gurkha hurdled in and stiff armed him in the face.
5. A 10 year old tried to get near to New Zealand's """""Muslim"""" rugby player Sonny Bill Williams at the last World Cup final. Security tackled him to the ground before he even got close. It was all smoothed over and Sonny Bill the Attention Hound gave him his match jersey on the spot.
Pitch invasion used to be something that was discouraged, all those pitch invaders above apart from 5. received touchline bans and faced criminal proceedings ...
The players never received any censure for their actions in response..
but as far as anyone can make out the Munster fan who had a go at Vunipola was described as 'confronting' Vunipola over his terrible views and has faced no action whatsoever.
Meanwhile the Gays and Dykes running Australian rugby and its sponsors may be facing a Tongan/ Polynesian rebellion.