Rugby Australia's new director of rugby has opened up about a big frustration over the on-going Israel Folau saga.
It's been a month since Folau's homophobic Instagram post dragged rugby and the wider sporting world into a heated debate and everyone's waiting to see what his penalty will be afteran independent three-person panel found the fullback guilty of a high-level breach in a code of conduct hearing.
Scott Johnson, who began his role as Rugby Australia's director of rugby a month ago, said the Folau saga has taken the gloss off on-field performances.
"That's the disappointing thing," Johnson told Fox Sports. "Last week probably epitomised it for me, where we had such a successful under-20s campaign in defeating New Zealand for the first time in such a long period, the Brumbies had a good come-from-behind win and rugby's not spoken about.
"That's the most frustrating thing and everything appears to be negative or a slant by an individual or a comment about the individual."
Johnson also revealed he's spoken to Queensland's Taniela Tupou, a staunch supporter of Folau who last week posted on social media: "Might as well sack me and all the other Pacific Islands rugby players around the world because we have the same Christian beliefs."
Johnson said he talked to a number of players about the issue.
"I've spoken to a few of them (Polynesian players) to make sure, first and foremost, that they're OK because as I keep saying we're in a people's business and you've got to get to know people," Johnson told Fox Sports.
