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Israel Folau is a fantastic footballer with the skills and strength to succeed in an unfamiliar Wallaby wing spot.
Folau will make his Test debut against the Lions in Brisbane on Saturday. It’s a phenomenal rise for a player who has played in only 14 Super Rugby matches, all of those but one coming at fullback.
But the Mormon magician from Minto is no ordinary player.
This is a guy who represented Queensland Under-19s at 16 and made his NRL debut with the Storm at just 17.
Who become the youngest ever player to represent the Kangaroos at the age of 18 years and 194 days old.
Who scored on debut in State of Origin, rugby league’s toughest arena.
Who has racked up accolades, awards and tries (73 in 90 NRL matches, eight in 14 Super Rugby games) at an impressive rate.
His dalliance with Greater Western Sydney was a bridge too far but Aussie Rules is a completely different game to union and league.
Folau had a background in rugby, granted a small one, and has taken to the sport like a duck to water.
With each match with the Waratahs the 24-year-old has improved, learned more and gained confidence. He might be still finding his feed in the code but he is already one of Super Rugby’s most dangerous opponents.
Just how good he could eventually become is scary.
The statistics back this up – in his debut Super Rugby season he has made the most line breaks, made more metres with the ball than any other and is the equal leading try-scorer in the competition.
Test rugby is a huge step up but Folau has shown in the past that he can handle increased tempo and pressure.
It’s not hard to see why Robbie Deans picked him, he has all the attacking skills, good defence, speed, an ability to step, create for others, a decent kick on him and is unbelievably sound under the high ball.
He is the kind of talent the Wallabies cannot afford to ignore.
But the real question is can he defend on the right wing?
The Tahs flyer is not used to that position, despite playing it in rugby league.
The Lions will surely target him, test him out with high balls and try to encourage him to come out of the line.
A lot of traffic will come his way and he will be peppered with kicks in behind.
Folau will need good communication with his centre partner, NSW teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper, and his fullback Berrick Barnes to ensure his not caught out of position.
Deans has made a safe pick in Barnes at the back, giving the Wallabies another playmaking and goal-kicking option, as well as a strong tackler.
With Barnes at 15 it allows the Wallabies to have two bruising, hard-running wingers on the flanks in Folau and Ioane.
These two steaming ball-carriers will need to be strong against the Lions’ two Welsh wing giants.
The beauty of Folau is that he is not all bash and barge. He can step, swerve and beat a defender with pace.
He can fend them off and break tackles, or he can pull off a show and go, or put a teammate through a hole with an accurate pass.
He is the complete package. Folau’s pure attacking brilliance and all-round skill make him a must for the green-and-gold, whatever inexperience and positional unfamiliarity he has.
The Tongan tornado already has a number of fans and one is former Lions and England winger Jason Robinson. A league star-turned union legend, Robinson recently said this of Folau:
“The Lions are going to have to keep a close eye on him.
“You have to be amazing to play in three different codes and he is clearly going to be a threat. He’s very skilful, he’s got lots of pace, carries the ball well, has a great offload and he’s good in the air.
“He has a huge amount to offer the Wallabies, which is why they have capped him so quickly.”
Folau might not have Robinson’s incredibly fast tap-dancing feet, but he shares some similarities with the ex-Wigan Warrior.
He is of course a lot bigger and stronger, at 6 foot 5 inches and 98kgs, but both are genuine match-winners. In 2001 Robinson was called up for the Lions, after a just handful of Tests for England, and made his mark in Brisbane in an unforgettable manner.
Now it is Folau’s turn, 12 years later.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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