Three years after his Australia contract was terminated, Israel Folau will be returning to international rugby with Tonga.
The fundamentalist Christian at 33, won 73 caps in Australia for Australia. had his contract terminated In 2019, after having posted a homophobic Tweet.
World Rugby changed its rules Last year, players were allowed to switch countries once.
Folau has been chosen by Tonga as a centre- and winger, for the Pacific Nations Cup in July and a World Cup playoff in July.
A change in World Rugby rules allowed a player to represent another country from January 2022 after a three-year stand-down and then move to a country of their birth, or their parents’, or grandparents’ birth.
Folau also plays rugby league and Australian rules football.
He was briefly with the Catalan Dragons rugby league team, but he was eventually fired. released from his contract In June 2021.
Folau was back in rugby union last year when he joined Shining Arcs, a Japanese Top League side.