Rugby World Cup: Marika Koroibete profile

bet365 News Team Updated: 20 Aug 23 07:04

Hoping to have a major impact for Australia at the 2023 World Cup in France, here’s a closer look at the rise of Marika Koroibete in the Wallabies set-up.

From growing up on his family farm in Naraiyawa, Fiji, to being a star in both rugby league and union, Koroibete has come a long way.

What	Rugby World Cup 2023
Where	France
When	8th September - 28th October 2023
How to watch	Stan Sport, Nine, 9Now
Odds	New Zealand 3.50, France 4.00, South Africa 5.50, Ireland 6.00, Australia 11.00

Wests Tigers saw talent

Originally playing rugby union at school in Fiji, Koroibete’s talents were spotted by NRL outfit Wests Tigers and he went on to make his debut for the club back in 2012.

Koroibete’s impact was quickly felt, as the winger managed to score four tries in just his second game against the Parramatta Eels in a 51-26 victory.

Injuries halted Koroibete’s progress somewhat the following season, before he was snapped up by Melbourne Storm in 2014.

After two years with the Storm, the rising star decided to make the switch to the 15-man code of the game and joined up with the Melbourne Rebels.

Koroibete’s time in Melbourne with both the Storm and Rebels saw him qualify for Australia on the four-year residency ruling and it was not long before a first Wallabies call-up arrived.

Impressing for Australia

Getting his first call-up for a tour of Europe in 2016, Koroibete did not feature in any of the Test matches but did manage to play for the Australia XV outfit in a clash against the French Barbarians in Bordeaux.

He made his Test debut against Argentina in Canberra on 16th September 2017 and Koroibete has not really looked back since.

Looking settled on the international stage, Koroibete’s performances went from strength to strength and he became the first winger to win the John Eales Medal (for the best Australian rugby union player of the year) in 2019.

With seven tries in that year and impressing at the 2019 World Cup in Japan, Koroibete had really announced himself on the world stage.

Named in World Rugby's Men's 15 Dream Team of the Year in 2022, Koroibete went on to claim his second John Eales Medal the same year.

Now at the age of 31, Koroibete is preparing for what could be his last World Cup in a Wallabies journey.

Australia find themselves in Pool C for the major tournament on French soil and Koroibete will come up against some familiar figures as he faces the country of his birth Fiji on 17th September in St-Etienne.

The Wallabies will also face Georgia, Portugal and Wales in the pool as they bid to make the quarter-finals.