The St. George Illawarra Dragons rugby league team have backflipped on signing star player Israel Folau after backlash from sponsors in response to controversy over Folau’s religious views which he expressed on social media in 2019. On Tuesday, the Dragons said they made inquiries to the National Rugby League (NRL) about pursuing the code-hopping, 31-year-old star in a two-year deal from 2021. Around 24 hours later, the club stated they abandoned the idea, according to a two-line statement that did not explain the reasoning behind the decision. “While the Dragons did enquire about signing Folau, the club can confirm that such discussions have now ceased. The Dragons will make no further comment,” the statement read. It was suggested the Dragons are afraid of losing its $1 million sponsorship deal with major sponsor St. George Bank who were troubled by Folau’s expression of his Christian beliefs on social media. Their 40-year-long …