Israel Folau saga claims new victim as Junior Wallabies snubbed
The ongoing Israel Folau saga has completely taken the spotlight off the amazing feats of the Junior Wallabies.
At a time when we should be talking about the best young rugby stars in the country making it to the Under-20 championship final, instead we’re still talking about Folau.
Around the same time as the sacked Wallabies star was launching another homophobic tirade in a church sermon on Sunday, the Junior Wallabies were surging into the Under-20s final.
The youngsters managed to overcame hosts Argentina, while playing a man down for more than half the match.
The young Australians scored four tries to one in their 34-13 semi-final win to set up a deciding clash against defending champions France.
It's just the second time the Junior Wallabies have made the final - they were runners-up in 2010 to New Zealand.
Australia led 17-13 at halftime in Rosario, with Argentina awarded a penalty try and Wallabies halfback Michael McDonald sent off.
His alleged high tackle while attempting to stop the try was his second yellow card of the match.
Despite losing a player and the soggy conditions underfoot, the Australians kicked away in the second half, crossing for tries to Lachlan Lonergan and Ben Donaldson.
"To keep Argentina scoreless, apart from the penalty try, shows the character of the group," Junior Wallabies coach Jason Gilmore said.
"The forward pack again stood up to the challenge with the backs covering a man down for 50 minutes."
The Junior Wallabies will battle France, who beat South Africa 20-7 in the other semi-final, for the title.
McDonald will miss the final which will be played on Sunday 4.30am AEST.
‘What the devil is trying to do’
On Sunday, Folau launched another attack on gay people and also criticised young people being allowed to change gender at his Sydney church.
Folau described homosexuality as a sin and claimed the devil was behind primary school children being allowed to decide if they wanted to change gender.
"This is what the devil is trying to do, to instil into the government, into this world, into society, and it is slowly happening," Folau said in his Sunday sermon at The Truth of Jesus Christ Church in Kenthurst.
"The sad thing is why a lot of people out there that are non-Christians say bad things about the church, is because a lot of the churches allow those things to happen.
"They say that a man and a man should be able to be married and there is nothing wrong with it. This buys into the theme of pleasing man rather than pleasing God and standing up for the truth."
with AAP