How do you sell rugby to an Aussie rules heartland? A man named Marika Koroibete, highlight reel try-savers and ball-playing giants make for a good start.
The Wallabies claimed a 25-17 triumph over the Springboks to close out a Test rugby double-header at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Many among the 36,336 fans who had filtered into a ground more familiar with ball-ups than back-rowers left with one name on their lips: Koroibete.
The man of the match left onlookers stunned when he came from nowhere to deny Springboks winger Makazole Mapimpi in the most spectacular fashion during the first half. It was a cover tackle good enough to rival George Gregan’s famous effort against the All Blacks in Sydney in 1994.
It was the kind of highlight reel play Australian rugby chiefs will be glad came in Adelaide, home to venue staff members who had been asking family and friends for a crash course in rugby before they left for work.
If it wasn’t Koroibete, it was 117-kilogram prop James Slipper morphing into a ball player to put Noah Lolesio through a hole before the five-eighth threw an audacious flick pass for Fraser McReight’s second try.
Marika Koroibete produced a spectacular try-saving tackle to deny Makazole Mapimpi.Credit:Getty
The Wallabies’ form line is virtually impossible to read. A win over Argentina was followed by a forgettable night in San Juan. Now a victory over the reigning world champions has ignited some hope that they may well be good enough to trouble the All Blacks on their day.
Long before the attention turns to the Bledisloe, Australia’s focus will be on backing up this effort at the new $830 million Allianz Stadium in Sydney next Saturday night.
The Wallabies’ outing in Adelaide was not perfect but still very impressive. McReight needed just 60 seconds to score the Australians’ first try.
It was just the opening the Wallabies had been yearning for after losing the first 25 minutes in each of their first five Test matches this year. But the fact they took that lead into the sheds at half-time was perhaps even more remarkable.
Fraser McReight celebrates one of his two tries against the Springboks.Credit:Getty
South Africa enjoyed the lion’s share of possession with the Wallabies seemingly camped inside their own 22 for the bulk of the first half. Even when they were a man down with Tom Wright sent to the sin-bin, they repelled wave after wave of the Springboks’ attacking raids.
The Springboks were lacking the polish so many had grown accustomed to. You could find a barometer in Handre Pollard’s boot. He missed consecutive penalty attempts which ended a perfect record with his last 10 kicks in Test rugby.
McReight was everywhere. The Wallabies flanker was ruthless over the ball as he filled the void left in the No. 7 jersey by captain Michael Hooper, who left camp in Argentina due to mental health concerns.
There is no timeline on Hooper’s return, and as stand-in captain Slipper put it, nor should there be. But he would have been watching, and he would have liked what he saw.
There were moments it felt as though the Wallabies were just hanging on. The Springboks would muscle their way back into the contest and Pollard finally found the mark with his third shot at goal. South Africa’s offloading game sent Australian defenders into a spin.
But only once could they crack the last line of defence, even after Wallabies winger Tom Wright was sent to the sin-bin in the first half. The Springboks endured their own 10-minute stint with 14 men after scrumhalf Faf de Klerk was shown a yellow card for making contact to the head of Wallabies counterpart Nic White.
And while the Springboks had spent so much time charging towards the fans in the Riverbank Stand to no avail, the Wallabies would have no such troubles to put the result beyond doubt in the second half. It reduced South Africa’s two late tries to consolation efforts.
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