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Israel Folau to receive $8 million in settlement with Rugby Australia - report

December 5, 2019

The sacked Wallabies fullback and his former employers have reached an agreement over his dismissal.

Former Wallabies star Israel Folau has reportedly received an AU$8 million (NZ$8.39 million) settlement from Rugby Australia over his contract termination.

Folau received the huge payout after he originally sought $14 million in compensation for what he believed was wrongful termination by Rugby Australia, who sacked the fullback for a code of conduct breach on social media.

Folau's breach stemmed from an Instagram post earlier this year in which he said "Hell awaits" groups of people, including homosexuals and drunks.

Folau and Rugby Australia engaged in mediation this week and after a 12-hour meeting on Monday and follow-up lengthy phone calls after, the two parties announced yesterday they had reached an agreement after settling for a confidential amount.

The Aussie media personality said he's "worried" if Folau "actually believes" allowing gay marriage in Australia led to the recent bushfires.

The Daily Telegraph reports that sum is $8 million.

The figure is much higher than many pundits expected with former Wallaby and Australian media personality Peter FitzSimons saying in a recent Sydney Morning Herald column he expected nothing higher than "$200,000 to $300,000".

Folau said leading into the the mediation he believed his contract termination cost him $4.2 million from 2019-2022, as well as $300,000 in match payments from 2019-2021 and an additional $150,000 in match payments in 2022.

The 30-year-old also claimed he could've made up to $1.5 million a season for up to two years with Rugby Australia and a Super Rugby club after 2022. He also believed he could've made that sort of money after 2022 with an overseas club when his international career had ended.

Folau also estimated lost sponsorships and the missed revenue that comes with competing at a World Cup as well as the possibility of captaining the Wallabies.

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