In light of the Israel Folau scandal, I feel it's important to highlight exactly why passionate rugby fans like myself are so disappointed in his recent post.

So I'd like to share a thread discussing a different incident Rugby Union had dealing with homophobia.

I want to take you back to March 2015.

The Waratahs were playing the Brumbies at a packed Football stadium. It was a traditional grudge match and as usual in a testosterone filled sport, tempers were running high, at times, fists were thrown.

In the Waratahs team was a big South African player named Jacques Potgieter, a man brought into the team as a hard man, a man in the team to intimidate and dominate.

And he did it well. Hitting hard and backing it up with some strong banter.

Suddenly, Potgieter said something that caught the ear of the Brumbies players. Amongst all the other names and threats, he had called them "faggots".

After everything that had been said on the field that day, even as blood had literally been shed, a line had been crossed.

David Pocock, possibly the most respected Rugby Player in Australia, was the first to raise it, approaching the referee with his Captain, Stephen Moore.

Just to be clear. They were not hoping for a penalty.They had nothing to gain from this, in fact they had everything to lose.

I've been on a rugby field before, I played for 20 years. I've been hit hard and called everything under the sun.

complaining to the referee about anything is frowned upon, complaining because you were called names is plain embarrassing. Pocock was risking his reputation.

Players talk about a "code", what happens on the field stays on the field, Pocock and Moore were breaking that code, and for what?

Because they knew what using words like "Faggot" means to young LGBT people, and they knew they were in a position to stand up for them. So they did

After the game, Potgieter was fined $20,000. He didn't appeal. In fact he apologised straight away and then volunteered to train with the Sydney Convicts, an all Gay Rugby Team.

The toughest thing we can do as men, is change the way we speak to each other. That day, two of rugby's toughest men set an example for other men.

Rugby Union made me proud that day. These players sent a message to young LGBT people around the country that they were worth standing up for.

Israel Folau, in one Instagram post, told them all they deserved to go to hell.