Marika Koroibete’s masterclass in Adelaide has thrust his name further up the list of all-time Wallaby wingers.
You might roll your eyes at yet another list but Koroibete’s urgency on the field demands we get urgent too.
It was quite something to witness the mark that a pure World XV player can have on a match and a team.
Never call an Adelaide Oval crowd uneducated in rugby. The biggest roar of appreciation post-game was for Koroibete being named man of the match. Even the AFL lovers who had gone to the Test out of curiosity knew the Fijian missile with the beard was something else.
The Roar rugby experts Brett McKay, Jim Tucker and Harry Jones and editor Tony Harper come together for the post-mortem after the Wallabies’ incredible 25-17 win over South Africa as well as Argentina’s historic 25-18 win over New Zealand in Christchurch
In the brutally physical modern game, it is quite something for a winger to set the tone.
The way he throws intent at every kick-off he catches or kick he chases to harass the catcher are the little things he does brilliantly before you even get to the big things.
That missile launch that blew Makazole Mapimpi out of the sky on the corner post was eye-popping. It still is after watching it 10 times on replay.
Makazole Mapimpi of the Springboks is tackled by Marika Koroibete. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
That was a covering tackle for fullback Reece Hodge but Koroibete flew past him to nail the South African.
Australian rugby now has four tackles to laud in the modern era.
The Gregan tackle always gets the raves.
In my book, you must also add prop Enrique Rodriguez making a super try stopper on his line when the Bledisloe Cup was won in New Zealand in 1986 and backrower Ben McCalman’s double-effort tackles to thwart Wales at the 2015 Rugby World Cup when Australia was down to 13 men.
So where do we peg Koroibete?
I think he has now gone by Lote Tuqiri as the best code convert winger for starters. He’s more consistent and has better hands than the sometimes mercurial Digby Ioane.
With 48 Tests now behind him, he also has the longevity over six Test years to win a high rating too.
His tries matter too. His 17th was a clinical finish with footwork to burn the final defender off a Noah Lolesio pass.
Great wingers like the late Jonah Lomu inspired everyone around them.
In his own way, Koroibete now does something similar for the Wallabies. There is an energy beyond the simple act of scoring.
Adam Ashley-Cooper scored nine Test tries against the All Blacks which is quite remarkable.
He was a fine player with positional nous and excellent defence but not in Koroibete’s explosive ways.
Koroibete is superior to Israel Folau, in his wing days, because he hunts for work far more and works off the ball more. Folau’s aerial work to catch kicks for the corner were elite.
When all the analysis is done on Australian wingers since the game went professional in 1996, Koroibete is now in a threesome. Ben Tune and Joe Roff are the others.
They won the biggest trophies and influenced those outcomes. Roff had gliding strength and evasive skills and was clearly the best kicker of the three.
Marika Koroibete breaks through for his try. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Tune was a joy to watch. He scored the try to set the tone of the 1999 World Cup final. He scored it on the French winger he predicted would be a target.
Skipper James Slipper said it well: “Marika puts his body on the line for his teammates and country.” It’s not one Test but game after game now. He was at sea in his early 2017 Tests. Now he’s the first Wallaby picked.
Enjoy what a World XV player brings to a team. Imagine too what a few more stepping up to that level could bring to the consistency of the Wallabies.
Winning in Adelaide was superb.
You can’t just fire up when berated by the media and fans for a shocker in San Juan. The Wallabies have to keep finding the internal fire like Koroibete does. Every Test.
John Leahy
Guest
Koroibete is on the top shelf with David Campese, Brendan Moon, Ben Tune and Joe Rolf.
Fiji Boy
Guest
Marika isn’t even the best Fijian winger ever ;). The greatest of all time is up there with Jonah …I’m talking about the one and only Rupeni Caucaunibuca! https://youtu.be/zIrhhddivvg
Don
Roar Rookie
Whilst he could play wing easily, he's actually a fullback. Played fullback in school rugby. Good boot, great pass on both sides, big body, loves contact and runs like the wind. We don't have anything like him running around in SR at this point.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Sua’ali’i may turn out to be a great winger but he’s just given glimpses of how good he could be so far
scrum
Roar Rookie
I agree not as gifted but he does not waste his gifts as Folau did and to simply judge a winger by the number of tries he scores is rather shallow. As he showed on Sat he can beat a man who should have had him well covered. Plus you will never see a better example of commitment than that try saving tackle. I would have MK in my team long before Folau and perhaps Rennie is better qualified to make judgement than either of us.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
That may well be your opinion of them Scrum but the reality is the hard worker wasnt as naturally gifted as the one you say had a low work rate and MK just doesnt score enough try's to be considered a great winger. Hard worker for sure but not a great finisher.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
So what Ozinsa. Rugby is won by scoring points and desnt score points often enough. Pretty simple.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I’d absolutely prefer Koro as a team mate. Doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a better player though. I think they’re probably equal but different in some ways, but for impact both sides of the ball Koro is better.
scrum
Roar Rookie
Let’s ignore all the Rugby players League have poached.
BrewsterBandit
Roar Rookie
I’d go even further and take Koroibete over Lomu on the wing. And I’m a AB and Lomu fan.
Don
Roar Rookie
I think time OS and playing in a competition with more space but also with Robbie Deans coaching him has helped him develop his skills, or perhaps just give him the confidence to use the skills he always had? It’s a more forgiving environment when you try something that doesn’t come off, than a losing SR side, under the pump with a coach who reacts to every error because they are in constant fear for their jobs.
Don
Roar Rookie
And vice versa - Timana Tahu, Will Chambers (now back in Rugby in the US), Nathan Blacklock… All had a crack at Rugby, mostly with a poor outcome. It doesn’t work for everyone.
Don
Roar Rookie
Is your point that you are against the recruiting of Rugby League players? It’s a big market to recruit from and the skills required for wing and fullback positions in both codes are transferable for the elite players. Why not talk to anyone interested and create better competition for positions? If Rugby could recruit Joseph Sua’ali’i then they would be getting a better wing / fullback than we have anywhere in our current ranks. Even Koroibete. Why wouldn’t you want that? Because it might get the noses of some lesser players out of joint? If there’s a lack of quality and depth in a position in Australian rugby (like fullback) and we can solve it by recruiting a clearly superior option from League, then we should do it.
scrum
Roar Rookie
Jacko one was a self entitled player with low work rate. The other works his backside off for the team , his off the ball work is unsurpassed especially for a winger. I let you decide which one is which.
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
I must say I thought MKs first 2 years in rugby he was an absolute liability and did not deserve his wallaby jumper at all. Since then he has improved his game no end. It all comes down to hard work. Even his kicking game this year is much improved. Must say he has improved the most of any rugby player I have seen in the gold jersey. That is a true mark of a real champion that even after all the years and money he still wants to learn. Good on him. You may be able to say he has the odd bad game (like everyone) but he has never given less than 100%. Champion
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Muzzo, re-read my post. It says clearly says “Korobeite is the best I’ve ever seen without the ball”. I agree Lomu is the greatest ever and I agree with Jim that MK has stepped on to a Wallaby platform as an all round package with Tune and Roff but I stand by my point that no wing has ever worked harder in defence or in attack off the ball.
Dominic Brady
Guest
What point are you making exactly?
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Honestly he’s the best you’ve ever seen ozinsa? Well mate you haven’t seen many, if that’s the case. TBH the greatest was mentioned above, as no winger will ever do what he did. The name: Jonah Lomu. RIP. To do what he did throughout his career was that of a freak. He only played at between 70 & 80 % fitness, due to illness which was diagnosed pre the 95 RWC. He was actually told, by coach Laurie Mains that he wouldn’t be going to the RWC in South Africa, if he didn’t raise his fitness levels, as unbeknown to Laurie, Jonah kept his illness to himself. Well as we all know the rest is history. To even play at the top level, for as long as he did, was that of a freak. A marvellous winger, that we’ll see only the once in a lifetime. RIP Big Fella!
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
That’s less than a handful of players. Since Lote started with the Wallabies we must have picked dozens of rugby born and bred. Remember too, most of the guys who come across from NRL are ready made superstars. You missed from your list Rogers and Sailor btw. What’s of more interest to me are guys like Wright and Perese who, for one reason or another, failed at NRL and for who we provided an environment to learn and thrive
Great Western Highway
Guest
Lote, Folau, Marika all NRL players shame have to rely on League players especially in the outside backs.