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Holy Trinity is the answer, Koroibete nailed it

Marika Koroibete of the Wallabies (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Roar Guru
1st October, 2017
43

To the most diehard of Wallaby faithful, come the end of a dire Super Rugby season and sub-par June series. Not much was there to be proud of about this team and code in our country.

In the last four matches however, I have seen the Wallabies play with a renewed vigour, calmness and patience. Against the Springboks in Bloemfontein, we saw for the first time, an Australian team playing with confidence and cohesion in their play for the full 80 minutes.

Of course it wasn’t the complete performance by any means. But gee, it was worth the late night viewing.

It can’t be expressed enough how much this game locked down a few lingering issues that now to me have clarity. The debate about moving Israel Folau onto the wing or centres should now surely be over. Marika Koroibete and Reece Hodge have left daylight between their closest rivals in Henry Speight and Dane Haylett-Petty respectively for wing positions.

Koroibete in his debut was magnificent and looks truly set for Test rugby. It’s early days of course, but he has the perfect mix of pace, size and finishing that is required of wingers in the modern game. He would really have to play himself out of the jersey if sanity persists. Please note this point Chuckles’!

Hodge on the other hand is an excellent defensive player and secondary foil for either Bernard Foley or Kurt Beale with his massive kicking game. He is also someone that knows how to run good lines on attack and can draw other players in well with a strong passing game.

People argue that Beale can’t defend in the 12 channel, but besides one bad miss on Sia Kolisi against South Africa, Kurtley was otherwise outstanding in defence. His composure and maturity on attack confines to shine through and I honesty believe he is the missing piece to what Cheika sees as forming a 10-12-15 ‘Holy Trinity’.

Foley has copped a lot of criticism since the World Cup as an unsatisfactory choice for Fly-Half and one of Micheal Cheikas so called ‘Protected Species’. It was fair to say he had a very mediocre Super Rugby season, but then again who didn’t?

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Since the return of Beale, and the addition of Hodge on the wing to share the kicking duties. It has allowed Foley to take the line on more and play the expansive running game he likes to inject his runners with while on the go forward.

Echoes of his 2014-15 form is slowly returning and the value he brings to this team. He set up each of the three Wallabies tries, two from superb passing and vision. The last from a scintillating break down the right side in the second half.

In turn, Folau this year has been able to roam more freely through the centre of the field looking for gaps to exploit. His tally of 11 tries, is already a record for a Wallaby in a Test season and their is still the Spring Tour to come.

Marika Koroibete Australia Rugby Union Wallabies 2017

Marika Koroibete (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

To keep this article short, sharp and too the point. The Wallabies starting back line should for now on paper be as follows.

9 Genia
10. Foley
11. Hodge
12. Beale
13. Kurindrani
14. Koroibete
15. Folau

Chekia is getting pretty close to his end game now. The World Cup will be here before we know it and he is going to have to have formed a settled team by early next year. This is the time, here and now to decide on what works and what doesn’t.

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The Wallabies are now in a much healthier spot for potential Test position depth. Players in Christian Lealilifano, Matt Toomua, Karmicheal Hunt, Samu Kerevi and Dane Haylett-Petty are a good selection headache to have.

The problem for Cheika is finding a good balance. With the backline though, I honesty think my nine through 15 is the best way going forward.

I will save talking about the selection problems with regards to the back row for another article. Though, he has made obvious errors in his selections at times, he is the man to take Australia to the 2019 World Cup. There is no one else who could be appointed realistically at this point, and reshape the entirety of the Wallabies’ problems.

Though there will be people read this article and feel that we are still a million miles off the pace and have no hope for improvement. I dare say it was a joy to truly see two teams, desperate for victory in the face of adversity. Putting on display, a wonderful spectacle of running rugby for the full 80 minutes.

Lastly, before we go despairing about not challenging the All Blacks consistently – a team that’s playing simply majestic rugby and undoubtedly the best international team in rugby, if not world history.

Coinciding with this, is England’s post World Cup Eddie Jones Renaissance. The second best team the Poms have ever produced after Martin Johnsons 2003 World Champions. We have to acknowledge, to our pain that it was the boys who sing ‘Sweet Chariot’ that completely caught us off guard and exposed our flaws for all the world to see, sweeping the Wallabies 0-3 at home.

Once we conquer these demons, then we can look across the ditch to truly attempt to stop a rugby dynasty.

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