"There are certainly people who feel that radical inclusivity doesn't fit in their world-view or beliefs. I'm sympathetic to that, having grown up in those kinds of faith communities, but I strongly disagree and I think blaming people for who they are can be really damaging," he said.

But Pocock’s comments were also rooted in kindness and - importantly for the game with the Inclusion Policy – inclusivity.

"Absolutely [we can play together], I've got family who have those views and we've had it out over the years," he said.

"The bottom line is they’re family. You talk about it in a civil way ... and when you do that you realise we've got far more common ground than we have in difference of belief.

"I just don't see who wins if we aren't able to relate to each other as humans and keep talking about things rather than having these really nasty polarising debates to decide who is and isn't part of our tribe based on their beliefs.

"We all lose something when we aren't able to engage with people just because we disagree on something."

How about that for holding up a mirror to modern Australia and its pockets of shouty self-righteousness?

It was the shadow of this Australia that paralysed the board and management of Rugby Australia at the time the controversy unfolded.

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The game's highest-paid, highest-profile player attacked a large number of his fellow Australians but RA chief Raelene Castle and her chairman Cameron Clyne made the calculated decision that, in the charged environment of anti-political correctness, doing nothing would do the least harm to the sport.

It is impossible to say whether they were right. Many a coach and executive has told Fairfax Media their response showed that Folau was bigger than the game.

But if there was any doubt over the complexities of the situation, Michael Cheika's muddled comments on the issue were instructive. Cheika never minces words but the best he could come up with on Folau was that children should be more critical of their idols. It's a valid point but it felt half-baked from the man to which Australian rugby fans look for a steer on the tough issues.

Cheika sounded more like himself with his cryptic comment that Folau's anti-gay comments would not be "an ongoing issue, because I don’t believe it is going to be ongoing". Might Folau's teammates have let him know behind closed doors that his comments put unacceptable pressure on them all?

Into this mess of awkwardness and stifled messaging stepped Pocock this week, just as he linked up with Folau in Wallabies camp, with a reminder that our humanity can transcend our differences, if we want it to.

"Ultimately, we all lose if our society isn't inclusive ... if we have people who can't be who they are, are fearful or are discriminated against for simply being who they are," he said.

Rugby more than most Australian sports considers itself inclusive at its core. It's a game in which props are as valued as fullbacks and two tribes can go to war on the pitch but share a beer in the dressing rooms immediately after. On the eve of one such clash, Australia vs Ireland, Pocock reminds us that living that value off the field requires kindness above all.