England star Billy Vunipola has shown his support for shamed Australia international Israel Folau after his homophobic Instagram post.
The Wallabies full-back sparked outrage after Israel Folau anti-gay Instagram post sees Australia announce plans to terminate multi-million dollar contract claiming that "hell" awaits gay people - along with "drunks, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters" - if they do not "repent".
And the 30-year-old is Australia issue fresh Israel Folau statement after meeting shamed rugby star for talks
England No. 8 Vunipola had liked Folau's post on Instagram and has taken to the platform himself to explain why after some criticism from fans.
In the post, accompanied by an image of a Bible sermon on faith, Vunipola said he had had enough of people insulting what he grew up believing.
The Saracens star wrote: "So this morning I got 3 phone calls from people telling me to ‘unlike’ the @izzyfolau post.
"This is my position on it. I don’t HATE anyone neither do I think I’m perfect.
"There just comes a point when you insult what I grew up believing in that you just say enough is enough, what he’s saying isn’t that he doesn’t like or love those people.
"He’s saying how we live our lives needs to be closer to how God intended them to be.
"Man was made for woman to procreate, that was the goal, no? I’m not perfect. I’m at least everything on that list at least at one point in my life.
"It hurts to know that. But that’s why I believe there’s a God.
"To guide and protect us and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
Vunipola's comments have sparked a predictable backlash on social media, with some demanding he be reprimanded by Saracens and England.
The RFU have since issued a statement, which you can read here.
You can read about his upbringing in Wales, here and the ordinary house in the Welsh Valleys which became known as the Tongan Embassy, here
Australia issue fresh Israel Folau statement after meeting shamed rugby star for talks
This isn't the first time Folau has got himself in trouble for posting his views on social media.
Having already been warned last year after similar homophobic posts on his social media channels, Folau had been deemed to have flouted the reportedly tighter social media guidelines in the new contract he had signed with Rugby Australia last October with his latest posts.
And that resulted in the governing body announcing their intent to tear up Folau's contract after being unable to contact the 73-cap international - leaving his international career in tatters mere months before the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
