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Matt Toomua isn’t like Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale or James O’Connor. In this era of social interactivity, Matt Toomua is notably silent.
While Quade Cooper has followed other sporting pursuits, Toomua has remained committed to the development of his skills as a world class fly-half through a stint with Western Province in the Currie Cup (as a 19-year-old, where he was so impressive the Stormers made moves to try and sign him).
While Kurtley Beale can’t stay out of the papers, Toomua can’t get in them. James O’Connor’s highly publicised wheeling and dealings with franchises dwarf Toomua’s silent commitment to the Brumbies and the tutelage of Stephen Larkham.
While all these players were schoolboy superstars (Toomua guided Australian Schoolboys to their first win over New Zealand Schoolboys since 1997) it appears that Toomua is at risk of becoming the forgotten man of his generation.
One of two sons to Christian missionaries based in Hawaii, Toomua has faced numerous ups and downs since his recruitment as one of only two players ever to be selected directly from high school to the Brumbies (the other being Julian Salvi in 2004).
At the relatively young age (for a flyhalf) of 19, Toomua was handed his Wallabies debut in a midweek game on the EOYT in 2009, and it was clear that Robbie Deans saw huge potential in the young Canberra flyhalf.
However, Toomua’s elation at selection was tempered when he suffered a broken jaw and was forced to miss the remaining games on the tour.
His accession to the number 10 jersey in 2013 has been a difficult one. He suffered the loss of Brumbies teammate Shawn McKay (Toomua writes McKay’s Brumbies cap 118 on his wristguard to reflect on the opportunities he has been given) in 2009 and missed the majority of 2012 season with a ruptured ACL.
Despite this it appears that Toomua has been making good career decisions to date. His time at the Brumbies under Larkham appears to be paying dividends for the young fly-half who has appeared solid this season for the Brumbies.
While the Brumbies have tapered off in the recent rounds, the effect of being part of a winning culture with expert coaches will further Toomua’s development. It is hard to say the same for Toomua’s schoolboy contemporary James O’Connor (who always seems to play better in Wallabies gold) and his tumultuous time in Melbourne.
Matt Toomua’s brand may not be as loud as the amigos, and his play may not be as full of flair (read mistakes), but he controls the game well, and is as comfortable in attack as in defence.
His kicking is strong, averaging 38.9 metres per kick (compared to Quade’s 33.8 metres – although Quade does grubber/chip a lot), at the start of last round he was fourth in the competition in try assists and third in linebreak assists.
Importantly unlike Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper he does not feature in the top 15 worst defenders (by missed tackles). Further, he does not feature in the top 20 for turnovers conceded (Quade Cooper is third in this metric on 19 turnovers).
He might not be razzle dazzle enough for your liking, but he is a great player, in his own way to watch. He is one of those players, who you tend not to notice because they just control the game so well and make few mistakes.
Sprinkle in occasional linebreaks and freak defence/attack and you are getting part of the way towards why Dan Carter is the greatest flyhalf of our generation. Percentage rugby, error free, well controlled with the occasional spark. In my view, Toomua has all the tools to become this type of player.
This Lions tour may not be Toomua’s time, perhaps Quade and Will G as a combination are too entrenched to be uprooted.
However, Toomua and Lealifano are building something substantial down in Canberra, which will be incapable of being ignored should it provide consistent results as the Super Rugby year grinds on.
Robbie Deans has made statements which show that he is well aware of the talent south of the NSW border, and hopefully with a few more solid performances, punters will become more and more aware of Matt Toomua. I encourage you all to do so, I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.