Rugby World Cup: How rugby union breathed new life into Wallaby winger Joe Tomane

FOUR years ago, Joe Tomane was languishing in a rugby league career which had ground to a halt, until Wallabies assistant Stephen Larkham offered him a lifeline.

Australia's wing Joe Tomane takes part in an Australia team training session on September 21, 2015 at the University of Bath, south west England, ahead of their opening Rugby World Cup 2015 match against Fiji on Wednesday. AFP PHOTO / MARTIN BUREAU RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

FOR most players, World Cup cycles represent four years of playing well enough to find a spot in the squad.

For Joe Tomane, the last four years have been more about finding himself. Which, as it turned out, found him a spot in the squad.

When the last World Cup was on in 2011, Tomane was in the final days of a 32-game NRL career going nowhere fast.

After emerging on the scene as an 18-year-old sensation at the Melbourne Storm in 2008, Tomane was tagged “the next Israel Folau” but amid brief bursts of brilliance, he never settled.

WALLABIES: Captaincy icing on the cake for Mumm

AMATEUR: Uruguayan blacksmith to face Wallabies

Joe Tomane during his time at the Storm.

Tomane candidly admits he had attitude problems after becoming a father in 2009, he moved to the Gold Coast Titans to be closer to his daughter Starsha, who lived in Brisbane with her mother.

After impressing initially for the Titans, Tomane’s attitude issues arose again, his work ethic dropped, his weight grew and by 2011 he was more often playing Queensland Cup than NRL.

When Stephen Larkham knocked on his door and offered a chance to return to rugby — his first love and the game he played alongside James O’Connor at Nudgee College — Tomane jumped at it.

“On a personal note it (2011) was a year of self-reflection. I was just trying to find my way as a man, if I had to describe it,” Tomane says.

“I enjoyed my time at the Titans back then and all the lessons I learned that year helped me become who I am today. It was too much fun then but it is a huge blessing now.”

For Tomane, switching codes again and moving to Canberra alone still represented a leap of faith, in more ways than one. 2011 was also the year Tomane became a Christian.

“I had spent four years in a different code and coming back to trying to learn the game all over again, a lot of that stuff was weighing on my mind. But I really felt a strong presence telling me I needed to go,” he said.

“Working under Jake White and Stephen Larkham, I felt like that was the best opportunity for me to grow as a person.”

Tomane settled back into rugby quickly in 2012 but making the 2015 World Cup was “a pipe dream”, Tomane said.

Joe Tomane leading the pack at training.

“When I did decide to come across to rugby, it was in the back of my mind but I didn’t think I would be able to achieve it,” he said.

“It wasn’t a major focus why I came across, the major reason I came across was I wanted to find myself as a person and hopefully if I sowed the right seeds, it would reap a harvest at the World Cup.”

The seeds sprouted quickly for Tomane — he debuted for the Wallabies later in 2012 — and this year the harvest came in too. Tomane was picked in Australia’s 31-man World Cup squad and tonight he will play in his first game against Uruguay in Birmingham.

“I am just excited that something that was a dream back then has become a reality,” Tomane said.

“I think I have found who I wanted to become as a person over the last four years, and rugby has definitely helped me with that.

“I recently got married, I am a very lucky man. I have a beautiful wife and I am waking up every single morning just being grateful for the opportunities I have.

“I really feel like the decision I made back in 2011, to cross over and find myself as a person, I am seeing the fruits of that labour now.”

Originally published as Rugby World Cup: How rugby union breathed new life into Wallaby winger Joe Tomane