Israel Folau and wife Maria spotted in Sydney during Rugby Australia's code of conduct hearing. Photo / Supplied
Israel Folau and wife Maria spotted in Sydney during Rugby Australia's code of conduct hearing. Photo / Supplied
The full range of emotions of disgraced Wallabies star Israel Folau during his prolonged disciplinary hearing has been captured on video.
In footage obtained by the Herald, Folau is filmed in Sydney during the fight to save his career as he faced a three-person independent panel in a code-of-conduct hearing.
The panel ruled that Folau committed a "high-level breach" of Rugby Australia's code of conduct when he used social media to criticise gays.
"The panel has today provided a judgment that Israel Folau committed a high-level breach of the Professional Players' Code of Conduct with his social media posts on April 10, 2019," said a statement from Rugby Australia.
"The panel will now take further written submissions from the parties to consider the matter of sanction."
The 30-year-old appeared at the hearing to contest Rugby Australia's decision to terminate his $4 million contract after he posted in mid-April on social media that gay people, along with other "sinners" will face damnation unless they repent.
The hearing was originally scheduled for one day last Saturday, but was extended to Sunday and it went into a fourth day on Tuesday.
Israel Folau departs after Rugby Australia's code of conduct hearing. Photo / Getty
It ended as the chairman of the Waratahs, Folau's Super Rugby franchise, called for "common sense" and a settlement.
"This is a no-win situation for the game and fans and I'd like to see it resolved as quickly as possible," Roger Davis told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"I think a settlement is a common-sense approach ... it would be smart. If this goes for a long time there are definitely no winners."
No time frame has been given for an announcement on the sanction.
In the Herald video, Folau and his Silver Fern wife, Maria, can be seen sharing a joke in a Sydney car park.
They are filmed talking to Israel's legal representative Rami Qutami and another man, before walking off.
Earlier, the 62-cap fullback refused to answer reporters' questions before driving off in a silver Audi.
Folau also appeared to be in good spirits after the disciplinary hearing, with former Wallabies coach Alan Jones relaying a message he had received from the under-fire fullback.
"I've just had a note from Israel, he won't mind if I'm sharing it with you because I said to him, 'Hold your head up'," Jones, who coached the Wallabies in the 1980s and now hosts 2GB's popular breakfast radio show, said after defending Folau on the airwaves this morning.
"He said, 'Alan, I'm at peace, mate. My head is held high'."
