Rugby World Cup: Jordan Petaia debut a personal and national milestone
Only one player at the Rugby World Cup is younger that Jordan Petaia, the fearless youngster who will make his Wallabies debut against Uruguay.
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Jordan Petaia is rugby’s Millennium Man, a potential superstar whose dizzying debut for the Wallabies on Saturday may stretch to a mark on three Rugby World Cups before he’s done.
Rarely has there been such excitement for a Test initiation in recent seasons because it has turned a humble match against Uruguay in Oita into a must-watch event.
It’s not just because of the all-purpose package owned by this strapping 19-year-old Queenslander and the fact he is finally emerging from an almost invisible season because of injuries.
There are more than 600 players from 20 nations at this World Cup in Japan and only Georgia’s 18-year-old hooker Vano Karkadze is younger than the teen spirit picked on the wing for Australia.
Petaia is a first. No other Aussie male born this century in the footy codes has yet represented his country.
Socceroos young gun Daniel Arzani, at 19, was the babe at football’s World Cup in Russia last year but born in 1999.
Queensland’s boom State of Origin rugby league forward David Fifita was born in February, 2000 but Petaia, born on March 14, 2000, has beaten him to national honours as the youngest Wallaby ever to play a World Cup match.
Petaia was still so young to start this year that he was driving to Queensland Reds training on L-plates, gorging on Fortnite and listening to the rap and dance music of Akon like many other Aussie teens.
“Well, yeah, a normal teenager .. I do like my Playstation, my teammates would say my music tastes are for a 19-year-old and there’s my humour,” Petaia said.
Wallabies regular Samu Kerevi has never looked at age to rate Petaia.
“No fear. He just goes for it ... that’s Jordie,” Kerevi said.
“When I saw him for the first time in pre-season at the Reds last year at 17, I made a $10 bet with him that he’d go on the Wallabies’ spring tour last year ... and he did.”
Petaia can rumble over defenders, beat them with a body swerve or stutter-step and be the unselfish distributor who can set up a support.
Enough of the crystal ball-gazing and overblown hype.
Cousin Matt Toomua, at inside centre on Saturday, keeps Petaia grounded and his mentoring has a vital role to play because handling what comes after his debut is just as important.
“Having a relative like Matt Toomua is pretty cool,” Petaia said.
“My parents go to him a lot as well. He’s been there, done it and with his knowledge it is comforting to know he’s there to reach out to.”
Petaia better be able to play rugby as he’s no security guard because Wally, the toy Wallaby he must carry everywhere as the youngest squad member, is frequently being kidnapped.
“I copped a $30 fine on tour in Italy last year. The boys have been pinching him but I look after him the best I can,” Petaia said with a laugh.
As rivetting as his debut will be, the Wallabies have bigger things to get right because assertive, controlling games from the halves pairing, Nic White and Lealiifano, are critical.
A fast start with some clubbing authority from back-rowers Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Jack Dempsey would be immense too.
When the likes of Kerevi, Bernard Foley, Will Genia and Christian Lealiifano are part of the exodus of top backs abroad following the World Cup, players like Petaia must rise as bedrock weapons in the next World Cup cycle.
He is signed to Queensland and Australian Rugby for another three years so this really is just the start of the eventual move to being an influential outside centre in his favoured slot.
That’s just as well because, as a modern amalgam of Samoan, Kiwi and Aussie heritage, his rugby future could have headed in any of those three directions.
JORDAN PETAIA...TEEN SPIRIT
Born: March 14, 2000
Winger
Wallaby No. 930
* Youngest Wallaby (19 years 205 days) in a World Cup game, eclipsing Joe Roff (19 years 253 days in 1995)
* Youngest Wallaby winger on debut since Ben Tune (19 years 177 days) in 1996
Originally published as Rugby World Cup: Jordan Petaia debut a personal and national milestone