A Christian group launched a crowdfunding campaign on Tuesday for sacked Australian rugby star Israel Folau, after his original appeal - to fight his sacking for homophobic ­comments - was shut down over concerns it was discriminatory.

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) website said it had raised A$430,000 ($300,000) in a single morning for Folau's legal battle with former employer Rugby Australia.

The 30-year-old, a devout Christian, was sacked by the governing body last month for posting anti-gay comments on Instagram.

The group's managing director Martyn Iles said ACL would also be donating A$100,000 of its own funds toward Folau's cause "because it's right and it sets an important legal precedent."

Folau initially set up his appeal on GoFundMe, estimating he would need A$3 million to fight his sacking for posting that "hell awaits" gay people and others he considers sinners.

The appeal had raised more than A$700,000 before GoFundMe shut it down on Monday, saying the platform would not "tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion."

Folau was fired last month after a Rugby Australia tribunal found him guilty of "high-level" misconduct over his social media posts.