Marika Koroibete has bypassed rugby’s traditional pathway to make the Wallabies Spring Tour squad but he’s the odd potential debutant out in that raged.
The two other uncapped players in the squad - Kyle Godwin and Tolu Latu - have been elevated through their performances in the NRC, though both have been in the Wallabies mix in previous seasons.
Koroibete’s inclusion does come at the expense of Force winger Luke Morahan, who has been on the Test fringes this season.
Godwin hasn’t watched much league, coming from a South African rugby-mad family, but he said he was intrigued to meet one of the squad’s new additions.
“I think it's unbelievable. he seems like he's a great player.I don't watch a lot of league myself, being from Zimbabwe with a strict South African father, it's rugby union only,” he said.
So, I've heard that he's a great rugby player and looking forward to hopefully learning about him and learning what he's like on the rugby field as well in the next couple of weeks.
Godwin has been in and out of the Wallabies camps this season and has a hunger to make this chance the one where he earns a debut, on his second Spring Tour.
A successful NRC season kept him in the front of Wallaby coach Michael Cheika’s mind and the 24-year-old said he had plenty to thank the provincial competition for.
“I've thoroughly enjoyed myself in NSW Country eagles, also living in Bondi has also helped as well,” he said.
“It's a great platform and I'm a firm believer that it's great pathway for the future of the Wallabies.
“I've thoroughly enjoyed my time there and it's a great platform again to get those players playing at a higher level.”
Godwin isn’t the only player to have earned a Test call up from the Eagles, with Latu’s early NRC run propelling him into the squad for Pretoria and London earlier this month.
“Tolu Latu, he's had fantastic form in the NRC and he was rewarded with that with the trip to South Africa and England,” he said.
”There’s few players knocking on the door and you can see hopefully Cheika brings a couple of those guys along as well.”
The Wallabies are hoping to have Will Genia available for all five Spring Tour Tests, after naming him in their squad.
Genia’s French club, Stade Francais, is only obligated to release him for three matches in the five-week tour, under World Rugby’s regulation nine, but the Wallabies are in negotiations to increase that.
The 28-year-old has played just four matches for Stade since moving to France, after battling knee issues, but has been in near career-best form since recovering from surgery.
The Wallabies leave for Spring Tour on Friday.
