Marika Koroibete wins John Eales Medal after starring at World Cup
Marika Koroibete has become the first winger to win the John Eales Medal.
Marika Koroibete has become the first winger to win the John Eales Medal after being voted as the best Wallabies player by his teammates.
The former NRL flyer polled 200 votes during the 2019 season, 50 more than runner-up Samu Kerevi.
Koroibete is just the fifth back to claim the medal in its 17-year history, joining fullbacks Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale and Chris Latham, and playmaker Matt Giteau.
Koroibete was overcome with emotion after joining the all-time greats of Australian rugby.
“I wasn’t expecting this. It’s such an honour and a privilege to receive this medal,” Koroibete said.
“A lot of great players have received this medal before me and the man who this medal is named after, it’s just such an honour.
“Thanks for the boys for voting for me. It means a lot to me and my family. It was one of my dreams growing up to play Super Rugby and at the highest level.”
A number of starring performances at the World Cup in Japan saw Koroibete leapfrog Kerevi, who had started the Test season strongly during The Rugby Championship.
The 27-year-old Melbourne Rebels winger signed a new two-year deal with Australian rugby in September, ensuring he will remain here until the end of 2021 despite fielding offers from European clubs.
Koroibete has claimed the Eales medal in the same year Folau – also a former NRL star for Melbourne Storm – was sacked by RA due to social media posts in April.
Kerevi was awarded Australia’s Super Rugby player of the year for his immense performances for Queensland.
The Wallabies were hammered by England in the quarter-finals by a record margin in World Cups, leading coach Michael Cheika to stand down as coach and then expose severe friction between himself and Rugby Australia executives Raelene Castle and Cameron Clyne.
The bitter end to the 2019 Wallabies campaign did not diminish the celebrations of other award winners on the night, including Wallaroos player of the year Grace Hamilton, men’s sevens player of the year Maurice Longbottom, and women’s sevens player of the year Charlotte Caslick.
Australian under-20s captain Fraser McReight, who led his side to the final of the junior World Cup, which the Australians narrowly lost to France, won his second successive under-20s player of the year award.
The rookie of the year award was jointly shared by rising Wallabies star Jordan Petaia – who made his international debut at the World Cup – and women’s young gun Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea.
Meanwhile, legendary halves pairing George Gregan and Stephen Larkham were inducted into the Wallabies Hall of Fame together, with the Test centurions celebrated in front of a packed house at Sydney’s Seymour Centre.
Gregan, Australia’s most-capped Test player with 139 appearances, accepted the award on Larkham’s behalf with the 102-Test five-eighth currently serving as an assistant coach at Irish club side Munster.
Queenslander, and Souths club stalwart Peter ‘Doubles’ Daley, was recognised with the Nick Farr-Jones spirit of rugby award for services to the game while long-time NSW Waratahs doctor Sharron Flahive received the Joe French Award for her outstanding contribution to rugby following 20 years as the team physician.
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