Israel Folau

Despite a season of controversy and offers to go overseas, Folau is understood to have pushed for a long-term deal in Australia, and Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs agreed despite a four-year extension taking him through to 34.

The deal is yet to be publicly unveiled but it is a matter of when, not if.

Signing through to the end of 2022 still leaves Folau a year shy of the Rugby World Cup in France but it will tally up ten seasons of rugby in Australia, and almost certainly end any potential for him to resume playing rugby league.

Injury concerns Israel Folau and Taniela Tupou are racing the clock to make a comeback after being included in a 31-strong Wallabies squad for The Rugby Championship

Folau is considered a "50-50" chance of playing the Springboks in Brisbane on Saturday night after only running for the first time on Friday since injuring his ankle against the All Blacks in Sydney two weeks ago.

The clash against the Pumas will be played on the Gold Coast on September 15.

And the defiant Wallabies superstar is also vowing to attack the high ball with his customary vigour despite copping a contentious one-match ban earlier this year for a clumsy aerial challenge on Ireland captain Peter O'Mahony.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika won't name his starting side until Thursday and has gone to great lengths to keep his side under wraps, but Folau all but revealed he'd be wearing the No.15 jumper in the series opener at ANZ Stadium.

Folau was shown a yellow card before being given a citing commissioner's warning following two separate incidents involving Ireland captain O'Mahony in Sydney, where the Six Nations champions won 20-16 to take the series 2-1.

The Australia full-back faced a World Rugby disciplinary hearing on Wednesday and was given a suspension that is set to rule him out of the Waratahs' Super Rugby clash with the Rebels on Friday.

Folau and Rugby Australia have until Friday morning to appeal against the decision. 

Folau has been cited for a tackle in the air against Ireland, but it's not the contest for which he was sent to the sin bin.

Folau was yellow-carded in the 31st minute over a contest with Ireland skipper Peter O'Mahony, where the latter fell awkwardly and was stretchered off, but it was a kick-off contest earlier that caught the citing commissioner's eyes.

In both instances, O'Mahony was lifted by teammate CJ Stander, leaving him in a precarious place in the air, an issue Haylett-Petty suggested was more dangerous than any contact in the air.

Folau, a fundamentalist Christian, caused a stir earlier this year when he responded to a question on social media with the assertion that homosexuals were destined for "hell" if they did not "repent".

Pocock, meanwhile, was an outspoken advocate for equal marriage rights for same sex couples ahead of last year's Australian referendum on the matter and has in the past called out homophobic abuse on the field of play.

Speaking for the first time since Folau sparked a storm of controversy six weeks ago with the first of a series of divisive posts about gays, Cheika said anyone who disagreed with his religious beliefs — including homosexuals — should ignore them.

Speaking for the first time since Folau sparked a storm of controversy six weeks ago with the first of a series of divisive posts about gays, Cheika said anyone who disagreed with his religious beliefs - including homosexuals - should ignore them.

The code-hopping superstar has suffered widespread backlash for publicising his extreme views, with the Wallabies' major sponsor Qantas outraged and others including All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara pointing out Folau's profound influence on vulnerable youngsters.

Folau, an Evangelical Christian, wrote on his Instagram page last month that gays would be condemned to "hell" if they failed to "repent", sparking outrage on social media and criticism from a key sponsor.

The 29-year-old, who faced no sanction from Rugby Australia (RA), is now set to feature in the Waratahs' game against the Blues in Sydney tomorrow night after recovering from a hamstring injury.

"I've said what I said in recent weeks," Folau told reporters on Thursday. "I stand firm on what I believe in and that's from something personal with who I am.

Gibson said he wanted Folau, who is off-contract at the end of 2018, to stay in rugby, but that those conversations were initially, at least, between the Test star and the national body.

Rugby Australia is yet to publicly respond to Folau's article, though after their meeting last week, Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle said they still wanted Folau to stick with the sport.

It is unclear exactly what the organisation's next step will be after Monday night.