Rarely do three outstanding rookie wingers surface at the same time – Brendan Moon debuted in 1978, David Campese in 1982, and Joe Roff in 1995.
They became three of the very best Wallabies – Moon a magnificent finisher, Campese arguably the best making tries out of nothing with his signature goose-step something to admire, while Roff used his 191cms-101kgs frame to productive use.
So what do Tom Banks, Jack Maddocks, and Jordan Petaia offer?
They share three assets – rugby nous, instant acceleration, and are excellent defenders.
Banks is 24, and a first choice fullback with the Brumbies. But he’s shown such diversity in talent, there’s no doubt he could play anywhere from 10-15 with equal ease.
Maddocks is 21, as good a first-grade batsman with Sydney Uni as he is a utility rugby back, but he’s settled for rugby with the Rebels.
While Petaia is only 18, an Australian Schoolboy last year, and a Queensland Red, who just oozes talent.
Congratulations to coach Michael Cheika for including them in the 36-strong Wallaby squad for the Rugby Championship, but make sure they are retained when six are dropped later in the week.
There’s no reason why two of them can’t be on the wings for the opening Bledisloe Cup-Rugby Championship clash with the All Blacks
Before the naysayers say they are too young or too inexperienced, if they good enough, they are old enough – and all three are well and truly good enough.
They don’t have to be taught how to pass, catch, support, and defend – it’s built-in as it should be for anyone selected for a gold jersey.
Let’s stick to the latter – defence.
The three best-performed Wallaby lineups were the 1984 Grand Slammers, and the 1991-1999 Rugby World Cup champions.
Not only were they try-scoring outfits, but the kept their opponents almost tryless – the current Wallabies would be well-advised to watch these predecessors.
The Alan Jones-coached Andrew Slack-led Slammers are still the only Wallaby side to achieve the feat.
They scored 100 points to 33 in beating England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland with mercurial Mark Ella scored in all four internationals.
The telling stat was the 11 tries to one, with Wales the only country to cross the Wallaby white line.
The Bobby Dwyer coached-Nick Farr-Jones led 1991 World Cup Wallabies ratted up 126 points to 55 in winning all six games.
Scoring 17 tries to three in the tournament, the Wallabies gave up two tries against Argentina in the opening round, and one against Ireland in the quarters, but kept the All Blacks and England tryless in the semis, and final.
The Rod Macqueen coached-John Eales led 1999 World Cup champions were even better performers, rattling up 221 points to 73 in their wining six games.
But they scored 24 tries to just one, with the USA crossing in the group game.
In all three examples, the Wallabies were just as effective scoring tries as they were stopping their opponents.
Defence, defence, defence.
That’s where the current Wallabies suffer, and while they can score many outstanding tries, they give up too many.
Even the mighty All Blacks haven’t been as effective in winning the last two World Cups as the three Wallaby lineups.
In 2011 the men-in-black piled on 301 points to 72 in scoring 40 tries to eight.
In their seven games, Tonga, Japan, France (2), Canada (2), Argentina, and France dotted down in six of them.
In 2015, the All Backs scored 280 points to 97, and crossed for 40 tries to six in winning all seven games.
Argentina, Nambia, Georgia, and France crossed, while the Wallabies scored two tries in the final.
The obvious message is loud and clear, stop opponents scoring tries, and winning becomes easier.
Michael Cheika doesn’t have to tell Tom Banks, Jack Maddocks, or Jordan Petaia about that, it’s automatic in all three.
John P
Guest
They will be waiting along time if Cheika is head coach ,he has to look after his 3 pets in the backline he will never drop. Those 3 talented players will not get a crack for a long time.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Certainly not but add Lewis, Johns, Cronk, etc. and it's a bit stronger. Due to the relative strength of the codes in the different countries the players you would add to that list would be Johnson, Marshall, Jones, Filipina. Just not as much of a loss when Rugby Union misses out on them.
piru
Roar Rookie
Yeah I had a brief look at NFL stats, they don't measure 10 yard times as such, but do record the 10 yard split from recorded 40 yard dash times. The top scorers seem to be defensive ends - roughly comparable to a number 6 or 8 in rugby.
Faith
Guest
Cameron Clarke?
Singapore Sling
Guest
Banks runs like Latham but looks like Cosmo Kramer
piru
Roar Rookie
Where’s your next Larkham or Lynagh? Few and far between. Just like they have always been. Fox-Mehrtens-Carter-Cruden/Barrett/Mounga Surely the run is not a coincidence?
jameswm
Roar Guru
So you wouldn't start Beale or Folau? Is it 1 April?
JohnB
Guest
For what little it's worth, I saw Petaia in one school game last year and was immediately asking his name, confident I'd be hearing it again. He was an absolute stand out in an ok, but only ok, team, playing fullback. Pace, big step, strength, big kick, good hands.
Fionn
Guest
Good point about Clark - running down Ioane isn't easy. English I am sort of baffled about... I heard Wessels say that too, but I never thought of him as that fast?
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Cam Clark would be in that group too for pace. Wessels claims English is one of the fastest in Melbourne also. Given the company he's in that must make him pretty quick too.
Bodger
Guest
Banks is fullfilling the wraps given to him, really like what I've seen. Petaia this kid is something else.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That's because at best there has only been 5 openings though. Sometimes a player isn't perceived as better than the incumbent 10, but still a good enough player for Super Rugby - so the push them elsewhere where there's an opportunity. Like Foley to fullback. Would Foley be a better 10 if he wasn't perceived a good enough player to play out of position at 15? Because essentially what people are saying is because Deegan was never considered to try and fit in elsewhere, it makes him a better 10?
Fionn
Guest
I think think point is that very few Australian 10s have played there consistently. Often they're moved there for lack of a better option (Foley moved to 10 when Barnes left). Deegan looks like a bloke that should just be playing 10
PiratesRugby
Guest
That's a good backline Jameswm but why wait? The problem with the Wallabies' backline is Foley's plodding playmaking, Beale's erratic kicking and their shared poor defence. Let's release the backline potential by kicking out Foley and saving Beale for impact later in the game. Let's give these young guns some experience before the RWC. We cannot win the RWC or the Bledisloe with Foley at 10. Just not possible. We haven't won anything since Cheika took over. He's still basing his team on the same core players. They failed before and they'll fail again.
Laurence King
Roar Rookie
I heard somewhere in the dim dark past that elite shot, discuss and hammer throwers could be extremely quick over short distances due to the power requirements of their sport
PeterK
Roar Guru
the point remains defense is not the strength of any of the guys Lord mentioned and he based his article of how good the defense needs to be and pushes these new guys as the next big things.
PeterK
Roar Guru
No, the number of fast twitch fibres effects reaction times and how quickly the muscle reacts to the request for action. So even if you have less power you get to use the same muscle more often. Then there is stride length, efficient running action and so on. Obviously complicated. So given all the really fast guys would have a lot of fast twitch fibres then out of these I expect the smaller guys to be fastest over a very short distance like 20m. Probably because out of these they have the best power to weight
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Then what’s the problem? People talking every player up as the next coming without objectively looking at their game. Mack Mason was given the same treatment 12 months ago. Where’s your next Larkham or Lynagh? Few and far between. Just like they have always been.
piru
Roar Rookie
Just mean it as they are only there because there are no other options in Australia other than WTS spots for 2018. Oh I understand and agree to an extent.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Leali'ifano played 10 for most of 2012. He was playing there in 2009 and was primarily a 10 as a schoolboy. In fact he played 15 at one stage and the Brumbies were calling it a tri-playmaker system with Giteau and Toomua. Foley started in Super Rugby as a 15, but had been a 10. Debreczeni looks like a 10. He just isn't quite Super Rugby standard unfortunately. The higher intensity he just can't handle the same way as NRC.