Soaring success story Noah Caluori takes inspiration from Ronaldo

Despite only being 15 matches into his Saracens career, Noah Caluori is ruling the PREM Rugby skies, as well as the try-scoring charts.

The 19-year-old, who averages two tries for each of his nine league games to sit well clear of the rest, has turned retaining possession from attacking kicks into his super strength.

“It wasn’t until Year 12 that it became a super strength for me,” he explained.

“I was playing 13 at school (Mill Hill), and I would always be 13, that was my position – I only switched to wing at the end of Year 12.

“But after the South Africa tour with the England U18s, the coach Will Parkin came to watch me at my school and grabbed me after, and said he thought I was one of the best schoolboys he’d seen at the high ball, and how we can make this into a real weapon.

“After that with him, my Saracens coaches, coaches at school, I went after it and just tried to perfect my craft, actually gain a bit of technique.

“I had the raw spring but I didn’t really have any clue what I was doing, so I actually sat down and tried to work out how I can catch the ball at the highest point. Because of him, that has now become second nature.”

How on earth has Noah Caluori finished this?! 😮

This guy is something else 🌟

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Caluori added another try to his highlights reel in last Saturday’s 19-15 win over Leicester, when he chipped ahead, stepped off the pitch and back in-field again, to regather the bouncing ball and touch down with Ollie Hassell-Collins on his back. It was a rare moment of brilliance in an otherwise scrappy game littered with handling errors.

Like any proven finisher, Caluori is decisive and doesn’t lack confidence.

In an interview with Rugby Journal, he said: “My best rugby is when i am the most confident person on the pitch, and I just have full, full belief in my ability and I know I’m gonna do what I am gonna do. But I wouldn’t say, like, over-confident, cocky, just self-belief.

“Certain aspects of the game are changing; we do need characters in the sport. That’s what brings interest, grabs people who’ve never watched rugby before to be like, ‘oh, this guy seems cool, I like what you are saying here. If you want to be the best, be the best and go do it, say you want to be the best; it’s words of affirmation.

While Caluori has no doubt taken inspiration from people within his own sport, the winning mindset of high-profile sportsmen outside of rugby, such as basketball legend Kobe Bryant and Portuguese footballing superstar Ronaldo have made a lasting impression on the winger.

“Kobe (Bryant), that Mamba mentality, if he’s on the court, if there’s one game-winning shot, he’s taking that shot, he backs himself every time to do it,” he said.

“I also looked up to Ronaldo, he came from nothing but built himself up. He set out to achieve what he’s achieved, and goes after it every time with 100 per cent every single time, and that’s what’s made him great.”