Former teammates and NRL stars Marika Koroibete, Semi Radradra on World Cup collision course
Entertainment machines Marika Koroibete and Semi Radradra are set to light up the Rugby World Cup when they go head to head in Australia’s opening pool match against Fiji.
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The last time try-scoring machines Marika Koroibete and Semi Radradra went to a World Cup, they were playing on the same team.
Six years on from joining forces with Fiji in a Rugby League World Cup, the pair are set for what looms as the ultimate showdown in rugby union’s showcase tournament in Japan.
Wallabies winger Koroibete all but sealed his place in Australia’s starting side for their Rugby World Cup opener against Fiji in Sapporo on September 21.
Koroibete’s brilliant individual try against Samoa on Saturday night not only assured him of a place in Michael Cheika’s team to play Fiji but also left him on a collision course with his former teammate Radradra.
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The speedsters have already gone toe-to-toe in the NRL when Koroibete was with the Melbourne Storm and Radradra at the Parramatta Eels but the stakes have never been higher than they will be at the Rugby World Cup.
“Of course it’ll be strange,” said Koroibete, who switched to union at the end of 2016.
“I love this country Australia and the way they gave me an opportunity to provide for my family, so playing Fiji, I'll do my best to help my team.
“He’s (Radradra) the sort of player who is hard to stop, you just have to get in front of him before he gets the ball.
“Don’t let them get them metres. Those sorts of players, you just don't get in front of them and give them space to run.”
Radradra switched to union in 2017 and has scored three tries in six Tests for Fiji while Koroibete has notched nine five-pointers in 24 appearances for the Wallabies and is looming as one of the breakout stars of the tournaments, just as his Fijian hero Rupeni Caucaunibuca was in 2003.
“He is a legend. I grew up in Fiji so I used to look up to him, he’s one of the great finishers, his speed, his agility and ability to step at full speed, he’s just unreal,” Koroibete said of Caucaunibuca.
“I watched the game against Scotland, that was one of my favourites, that try he scored in the corner.”
More than regular Tests, the World Cup has always been a great showroom for wingers and the Australian coach Michael Cheika is convinced Koroibete has got all the ingredients to shine on the biggest stage.
“There’s no need to put a lid on, there’s no need to put on a cap on where you can go,” Cheika said.
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“He’s really come on in the back half of this year so we’ll be looking to try and improve him even more but I think he’ll enjoy it. This will be his first World Cup and he likes the big occasion and there’s no bigger occasion than round one of the World Cup.”
Koroibete said he can’t wait for the tournament to start.
“I went with Fiji to the Rugby League World Cup but that’s not as big as the Rugby World Cup,” he said.
“This is something that when I switched to rugby, that’s what I wanted to go to, so I set it as my target.
“It’s a very good opportunity for players to show to the world how good you are and compete with the best wingers in the world and just go out there and show who you are as well.”