Israel Folau: Catalans Dragons' leave centre out of Super League
- Published
Israel Folau scored five tries in 15 appearances for Catalans last season
Israel Folau has been left out of the Catalans Dragons' squad list for the 2021 Super League season.
National Rugby League (NRL) club St George Illawarra last month "ceased discussions" to sign the centre, 31.
The former cross-code Australia international is contracted to Perpignan-based Catalans for another year but has not returned to training.
New signings Dean Whare, Gil Dudson and Mike McMeeken are all named among head coach Steve McNamara's 29-man squad.
There are still a pair of spaces to be filled in the squad list, with Dragons yet to assign two squad numbers.
New Zealand international Whare, who plays in the same position as Folau, has taken the number four shirt worn by the Australian last season.
Any return to the NRL for Folau would have depended on the league, which had previously said he failed to meet their "inclusiveness culture".
Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia, when he was playing union, following a social media post in April 2019 in which he stated that "hell awaits" gay people.
He later reached a settlement with the governing body, which he sued for alleged religious discrimination.
Catalans recently reacted to rumours of an NRL move by explaining Folau's delayed return to the south of France after a pre-season break in Australia as being caused by a "family situation" and they remained in contact.
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