‘We still love and care for Israel Folau’ – Daryl Gibson

Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson admitted that the month-long Israel Folau saga has been an undeniable distraction for his team but said they have been kept in the loop about developments given there is still “a lot of love and care” for their “team-mate”.

Gibson spoke about the impact of Folau’s case as he also named the Waratahs’ team to play the Lions on Saturday in Johannesburg.

Though 10,000km away from Sydney and the endless Folau coverage, the Waratahs have found it hard to not be distracted by events concerning “our teammate”, Gibson said.

The Waratahs didn’t seek to shelter players from the news about Folau as he went through his code of conduct hearing and when he was found guilty of a high level breach this week.

Indeed, Gibson revealed New South Wales Rugby flew general manager Tim Rapp to South Africa to specifically keep players informed of the Folau judicial process and to listen to player’s differing views.

“It’s been difficult to not let that be a distraction. It’s around us, it’s a high news story. It’d be naive to say it hasn’t been a distraction. But that doesn’t make an excuse or excuse our performances, which haven’t been good enough,” said Gibson.

“We have been very open and transparent. We have tried to keep our boys updated every step of the way, in what’s going on with our team-mate. There is a still a lot of love and care for Israel in our team. We care for him.

“(Rapp’s updates) have been very helpful. We have been very mature and adult in making sure all our opinions are expressed to him.

“Our team has become a lot closer for it, and we can celebrate the fact that we don’t have to agree or disagree but we are joined in one common purpose and that’s playing for the Waratahs and having a real purpose around the season.

“The boys have done an excellent job of just putting that to the side. We can’t control anything in the future but what we can control is what we do now and I say, we are focussed on the rugby.

“We can never use that as an excuse for our performances. We know that. We want to make sure we are focused on the right things on the rugby field.”