The wife of Israel Folau has accused Australian Rugby League commissioner and former great Wayne Pearce of blocking the cross-code international's return to the NRL.
Maria Folau, a former New Zealand netball international, said her husband was set to play with Wests Tigers after being approached by coach Benji Marshall, before Pearce thwarted the signing.
The 37-year-old last played in the NRL in 2010, leaving for a brief failed stint in AFL and then switching to rugby and playing 73 Tests for the Wallabies.
In 2019 his multimillion-dollar deal was terminated by Rugby Australia following controversial homophobic social media posts.
Two years later St George Illawarra looked to sign Folau but withdrew the offer after backlash, while the ARLC also made it clear the player's views didn't align with the NRL's "culture of inclusivity" and that it would not register his contract.
