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‘Unbelievable speed’: Cheslin Kolbe braces for Wallabies’ ‘X-factor’

Australia's Filipo Daugunu scores a try during the second Test rugby union match between Australia and Wales at AAMI Park in Melbourne on July 13, 2024. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

Two-time Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok Cheslin Kolbe is ready to embrace the challenge that awaits on Saturday afternoon against Wallabies outside backs that have “unbelievable speed” and some “X-factor.”

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Head coach Joe Schmidt has stuck with what’s worked so far this year by naming the same starting wingers and fullback that starred in the two wins over Wales last month. Filipo Daugunu and Andrew Kellaway will man the edges with Tom Wright out the back.

It was a bit of a surprise to see that Marika Koroibete had been omitted from the 23 when the team was announced on Thursday. Koroibete is the only overseas-based player who has been picked in a Wallabies squad so far in the Schmidt era.

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ACT Brumbies flyer and Paris Olympian Corey Toole was also overlooked after only returning to Australia from Europe last weekend, and NSW Waratahs utility Max Jorgensen also missed selection as Schmidt allows “fresh” players to settle in.

While the Wallabies team hadn’t been announced when Kolbe spoke with this writer in Brisbane on Wednesday evening, the Springboks were always going to have their work cut out for them regardless of who Schmidt selected.

“Just by the names you mentioned, it’s players with X-factor. They’re players with unbelievable speed and they can change the game around. That’s why they’ve been playing and being selected for Australia,” Kolbe said.

“For us, obviously whoever we come up against (we’ll need to) front up and try and play our best. At the end of the day, it’ll be what happens up front and whoever has that momentum that will have a good day on Saturday.

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“Always exciting to come up against good players and exciting players as outside backs of Australia. For us, myself, Kurt-Lee (Arendse) and Willie (le Roux) is also just to stay on task and not get lost with what they can do and bring.”

Fraser McReight and Taniela Tupou are two major omissions from the Wallabies’ team to play the Boks in this weekend’s Rugby Championship opener. McReight is unavailable through injury while Tupou will miss the Test for personal reasons.

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The rest of the Wallabies team remains relatively settled with Schmidt going with the same halves pairing that started against Wales, a fairly new-look but promising front row, and the centre duo of Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau that took on Georgia.

But the omission of Koroibete was a big talking point at the team announcement press conference on Thursday. The Panasonic Wild Knights flyer returned to the national setup last weekend but, as Schmidt explained, was not considered for this first Test.

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“Marika wasn’t quite ready. This week was about orientating him and getting him back up to speed. I think Marika will be available beyond this week but this week was a little bit too soon,” Schmidt told reporters.

“Marika and I had a chat at the start of the week. It’s a little bit the same with Corey TooleMax Jorgensen, those guys who are fresh in this week – it’s a whole new language to learn. Just to get comfortable in the systems, it’s just to give them enough time really.

“(Marika has) fit in really well. He’s a character, Marika, around about the place in a really positive sense. He has a real sense of the game that allows him to get involved in the right moments. He works hard across the field.

“I’ve always thought coaching against him that he’s an absolute handful. He’s a guy that we have a lot of respect for.”

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J
JW 2 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

It is now 22 years since Michael Lewis published his groundbreaking treatise on winning against the odds

I’ve never bothered looking at it, though I have seen a move with Clint as a scout/producer. I’ve always just figured it was basic stuff for the age of statistics, is that right?

Following the Moneyball credo, the tailor has to cut his cloth to the material available

This is actually a great example of what I’m thinking of. This concept has abosolutely nothing to do with Moneyball, it is simple being able to realise how skillsets tie together and which ones are really revelant.


It sounds to me now like “moneyball” was just a necessity, it was like scienctest needing to come up with some random experiment to make all the other world scholars believe that Earth was round. The American sporting scene is very unique, I can totally imagine one of it’s problems is rich old owners not wanting to move with the times and understand how the game has changed. Some sort of mesiah was needed to convert the faithful.


While I’m at this point in the article I have to say, now the NRL is a sport were one would stand up and pay attention to the moneyball phenom. Like baseball, it’s a sport of hundreds of identical repetitions, and very easy to data point out.

the tailor has to cut his cloth to the material available and look to get ahead of an unfair game in the areas it has always been strong: predictive intelligence and rugby ‘smarts’

Actually while I’m still here, Opta Expected Points analysis is the one new tool I have found interesting in the age of data. Seen how the random plays out as either likely, or unlikely, in the data’s (and algorithms) has actually married very closely to how I saw a lot of contests pan out.


Engaging return article Nick. I wonder, how much of money ball is about strategy as apposed to picks, those young fella’s got ahead originally because they were picking players that played their way right? Often all you here about is in regards to players, quick phase ruck ball, one out or straight up, would be were I’d imagine the best gains are going to be for a data driven leap using an AI model of how to structure your phases. Then moving to tactically for each opposition.

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