Can I just start by saying, how good is rugby! And how good is Super Rugby Pacific this year: close matches, brilliant attack, desperate defence, and upsets aplenty.
For the rejuvenated Queensland Reds, the likes of Fraser McReight, Josh Flook, Harry Wilson and many others have been standouts. But the Australian player who has really caught my eye is Corey Toole for the Brumbies. I’ve been watching Super Rugby for 25-odd years and have never seen a better finisher.
He had a stellar first season in 15s rugby in 2023 finishing in the top ten Super Rugby players for tries scored (fifth with nine tries) and clean breaks (fourth with 22 clean breaks). He was the best Australian player in each of these categories.
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But if you thought that was good, Corey said ‘hold my beer’ for 2024 and has upped the ante. He’s now in the top ten Super Rugby players in four different metrics now:
– 1st with 5 tries
– 4th with 6 clean breaks
– 8th with 18 defenders beaten
– 7th with 311 metres gained
If you look at just the Australian players, he is:
– 1st in tries
– 1st in line breaks
– 2nd in defenders beaten (behind Andrew Kellaway)
– 4th in metres gained (behind Andrew Kellaway, Harry Potter and Max Burey)
Bloody impressive. What excites me is not only his pace but also his smarts. He holds the ball in two hands and is a master of the chip and chase. It’s still early days in his career, but he currently has 14 tries from just 18 Super Rugby appearances. That’s 0.78 tries per game. An amazing statistic. How amazing? Just have a look at the top ten try scorers in Super Rugby history:
Julian Savea: 61 tries in 157 games = 0.39 tries per game
Israel Folau: 60 in 96 = 0.63
Doug Howlett: 59 in 97 = 0.61
TJ Perenara: 58 in 151 = 0.38
Caleb Ralph: 58 in 136 = 0.43
Joe Roff: 57 in 82 = 0.70
Ma’a Nonu: 56 in 174 = 0.32
Christian Cullen: 56 in 85 = 0.66
Bryan Habana: 56 in 118 = 0.47
Stirling Mortlock: 56 in 140 = 0.40
Corey is currently scoring tries at a more potent rate than all of these legends. He even compares favourably to another current great to watch in Will Jordan. Jordan has 38 tries in 52 games (0.73 tries per game).
How does Toole compare to SR players who have filled the Wallabies’ wings in recent years?
Marika Koroibete (2017–21): 23 tries in 69 games = 0.33 tries per game
Andrew Kellaway: 22 in 63 = 0.35
Jordan Petaia: 15 in 54 = 0.28
Suliasi Vunivalu: 14 in 31 = 0.45
Toole smokes them all. Koroibete has been a mainstay on the Australian wing the last few years. I like watching him play but I just feel like we have nine forwards when he is out there. I think he is going to retire anyway but we need a real try-scorer on the wing.
People will be quick to jump on Toole’s defence as his weakness. But tell me this, is he any worse than Petaia or Suli? Petaia’s tackle completion rate was actually lower than Toole’s in Super Rugby Pacific 2023 and Suli’s defensive reads leave a lot to be desired.
Joe Schmidt has the perfect opportunity to get some new players into the Wallabies with some relatively easy home games versus Wales and Georgia. Toole should be number one on his list.
So come on Joe, give the Wagga Wagga flyer a start and watch the tries roll in!
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
True. Ah if its between the two i Think it's time to move on from Koro. We need a try-scoring winger rather than a back row wing hybrid
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Exactly PeterK. We can easily have one smaller winger who is an outright try scorer like toole on one wing and a bigger player on the other. Bombs have 2 small lads and they are doing fine
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Exactly Stu. I remember back in the day the Ben Tune dive over the line. Every kid was doing it. The Toole chip and chase would be school yard hit
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Not a bad idea. Must say I forgot about Jorgenson. It would be a very good back 3. Jorgo could cover 15 for injuries too.
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Diddo!
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Yeh good points. You are right that wings are usually on the end of the process that puts them into space. However, Toole has scored 3 tries this year that no other player in oz rugby would have any chance of scoring (chip v rebels, chip v chiefs, try v highlanders). We need a winger who can turn half chances into tries
carnivean
Roar Rookie
These numbers mean nothing when it comes to selection for the Wallabies though. Wingers and fullbacks don't create tries for themselves very often. Instead they're usually the end of a process that started in the middle of the field. What Joe Schmidt wants from his wingers might not correspond with Toole's strengths and weaknesses. If JS wants his 11 to regularly come in off the wing and punch over the advantage line to establish front foot ball, then Toole isn't the right guy. If JS wants his 11 to cover 15 because he wants the 15 to kick and chase constantly, then I dont think Toole is the right guy. If JS decides that he needs his wingers to be strong, consistent defenders then Toole isn't the right guy. If Toole fits the Schmidt plan, then he's got the form to be among the first considered for the role. If he doesn't fit the plan then he shouldn't play.
carnivean
Roar Rookie
Defensive positioning is down to coaching and strategy though. If you tell Koroibete to stay on his wing, he'll stay there. Last year is not something on which to judge players.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Then you are looking at 2 fb/winger types so Mark N and Petaia. Personally I would try Toole on one wing he makes less errors, is more consistent and good decision maker.
HiKa
Roar Rookie
Neither. Koro's weakness on defensive positioning got badly exposed last year. Toole is certainly an attacking weapon and perhaps against a struggling Welsh side it might be entertaining to see him in some space, but I don't think he's yet shown what is needed on the wing against the AB's & Boks. He can be useful as kick-chaser/tapper downer, but opposition high kicks to his wing would worry me greatly. And when he starts making some important tackles, I'll be more impressed.
Mirt
Roar Rookie
Bentnuc, one thing that is important is which side they play on as well. Some can play either, but I believe an 11 and a 14 should be picked for the side they play on as well, and both Toole and Koroibete are left side wingers.
Mirt
Roar Rookie
And yet you still think Jorgensen is a rib eye. He’s nuthing but veal at the moment.
Mirt
Roar Rookie
I’m certainly not sure about Potters quality yet.
Dualcode
Roar Rookie
Surely he's on Joey's mind here, would love to see him wearing gold and green.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
I would like to see a back three of Toole, Jorgensen and Kellaway. One of Max's big strengths at fullback is his ability to find space for others in broken play - personally I would like to see him at 5/8 or inside centre but that's a story for a different day.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Hasn't Potter also been carded twice in 4 games?
Stu
Roar Rookie
Another metric that never gets mentioned: players who put bums on seats. Some players, through their own repeated good merits capture the public’s interest and sell tickets. If Corey was given a Wallabies debut, I’d show up just to see it. Add in that Qld backline, Faessler, Jorgo at 15, and then drop players who clearly shouldn’t be there, and suddenly there’s a team selected on genuine honest merit. Fans aren’t stupid. Stop selling us poop on a stick and telling us it’s wagyu beef.
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Cheers LR. Those are defo the form back 3. There would be a nice balance between them. 2 tests v wales and 1 georgia should be good to get up and going for the Rugby championship
Lr6050
Roar Rookie
Nice read. Back three of Toole, Kellaway and Potter?
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Very true. Interestingly Koros is exactly the same in tests. Will Jordan is running at a try a test (but these are massively inflated by big wins v Tonga and US). Campo scored 0.64 tries per test which is just brilliant considering matches were much lower scoring in his day. I'd agree. Give him a go and find out. Still has work to do on his game (like everyone) but I'd say he will still excel.