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Sacked Wallaby Folau launched a GoFundMe page to help cover his legal costs as he prepares to challenge Rugby Australia’s termination of his $5m contract.
Folau hopes to raise $3m in donations as he prepares to challenge Rugby Australia’s decision in the courts.
Late on Friday evening the dual international had raised more than $420,000 just days after he created the fund.
Hoiles, who won a Super Rugby title alongside Folau in 2014 for the Waratahs, said that not only was his argument flawed but that there were more deserving people in need.
“He’s trying to sell that he’s fighting the freedom of speech or religious act — he’s not,” Hoiles told Fox Sports’ Super Rugby finals pre-game show.
“He’s fighting a breach of his own contract, so people are donating money to what they think is a wonderful case of freedom of speech in Australia, but you’re not fighting that. You’re paying money to a guy that’s made a million bucks a year for probably the last 10-12 years. He doesn’t need anyone’s money.
“Why he’s doing this I have absolutely no idea. It makes no sense to me.
“If you want to fight this, go for it, but give it to those other charities.”
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While Folau’s contract was torn up after a three-person independent panel found him guilty of breaching Rugby Australia’s code of conduct, the 30-year-old has received support from sections of the community including politicians and sections of the media.
Some of Folau’s Waratahs and Wallabies teammates share similar religious beliefs but have kept their views private on subjects such as same sex marriage, which is supported by Rugby Australia.
But Hoiles said there was a difference between supporting the fallen Wallabies star’s views and financially backing his fight against Rugby Australia, particularly when others were fighting for their lives.
“I’m all for him having support,” Hoiles said.
“Like there’s a lot of guys that we played with that support him that’s fine.
“But trying to raise $3 million of other people’s money in this day and age is absolute madness when you see in comparison the little kids on the exact same (GoFundMe) page that are fighting for their life. I’m sickened by it.”
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It’s understood by foxsports.com.au that one person on the same GoFundMe page that Folau appeared on recently died.
Another of Folau’s teammates, Drew Mitchell, said that Folau could fund his own legal bills.
“He’s well off, Israel Folau. Let’s be honest, he’s got plenty of assets and things like that and if he really believed in what he was doing he could sell off and go fund it himself,” Mitchell said on Fox Sports.
“As opposed to some of our viewers at home, he’s asking them to go and spend their hard-earned on a fight that he’s chosen to be in.
“There’s plenty of other causes on that GoFundMe page where there are kids and there’s people that are ill who didn’t choose to be in that fight but they’re in it.”
Included at the bottom of the terms and conditions of the page is recognition that donations are a “gift” and Folau doesn’t have to “apply the funds in any particular way with respect to his legal action.”
Former Test lock and Classic Wallabies manager Justin Harrison questioned where the dollars would end up going.
“Let’s read the small print on the GoFundMe page as well. No obligation to put it towards legal cost. Really you’re funding a lifestyle and a platform,” Harrison said.
Mitchell added that the continuing Folau saga took away from the achievements and positive stories of the day, which included the announcement of the Wallaroos squad and their new captain Grace Hamilton.
The Brumbies will also play the Sharks in their quarter-final on Saturday, while the Junior Wallabies will play in the under-20s World Cup on Sunday (4:30am AEST) in Argentina.
“The other thing as well is the damage that it’s having on the game,” Mitchell lamented.
“This weekend the Brumbies are going into their home quarter-final tomorrow night, the under-20s are going into the final against France, Grace Hamilton just got named as Wallaroos captain — we should be talking about all these fantastic things that are going on in the game and, again, he times his stage show to a time where it takes away from all that and we’re unfortunately having to talk about this instead of those positive things in our game.”