Folau married in secret ceremony

The ‘No’ Campaign’s most prominent sporting figure, Israel Folau, has tied the knot on the same day Same Sex Marriage (SSM) received a resounding vote of approval from the Australian public.

7th Tackle can reveal Folau married his NZ-based fiancé, Maria Tutaia, yesterday. The wedding took place before a select number of guests on a private property in Kangaroo Valley, around two hours south of Sydney.

The timing of yesterday’s ceremony could not have been more ironic, given Folau’s public stance against gay marriage. The devout Mormon caused a storm last month when he tweeted his views against the law change.

The verdict of the postal vote was announced as guests began to arrive for Folau’s wedding yesterday morning, with 61 percent of Australians disagreeing with the Wallabies star.

Folau chose to stand down from Wallabies commitments for the spring tour of Europe, citing his desire to spend more time with Tutaia.

He also sacrificed a short term deal in Japan – believed to be worth $500,000 – for love. The pair have been in a Trans-Tasman relationship for some time, juggling their respective sporting commitments. Tutaia is one of New Zealand’s top netballers.

But there was no indication that they planned to get married. It’s believed they will be honeymooning overseas.