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Watch: Marika Koroibete produces spectacular finish with aerial brilliance

(Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Star Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete has pulled off a spectacular aerial acrobatic finish with his latest try in the Japan Rugby League One for the Saitama Wild Knights.

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The Fijian-born flyer is renown for his speed and physical play but the Wallaby showed his incredible skill and vision to perfectly time a dive in order to squeeze a one-handed put down inside the corner flag.

With the Wild Knights taking a 14-7 lead, a bomb on a piece of counter-attack bounced fortuitously into the arms of Koroibete after fullback Ryuji Noguchi was able to bat back his own kick.

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Toyota’s Kiwi flyhalf Tiaan Falcon was tasked with cutting the angle off for Koroibete but he was unable to catch him completely, while the Wild Knights’ wing timed his approach to leap out of bounds and place the ball inside the corner post.

Koroibete’s try gave the Wild Knights a comfortable 21-7 lead after 25 minutes, after tries to Springbok lock Lood de Jager and openside Itsuki Onishi.

The Wallabies wing then turned up in defence, coming up with a number of signature clutch tackles to hold the Verblitz out as they made a comeback.

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In the 71st minute he grabbed his double with a trademark pick-and-go carry from close range where he rolled over in the tackle to finish the try.

The 34-19 win propelled the Wild Knights to four wins from four to start the season and maintained their top spot in division one.

In other Sunday action, the Black Rams Tokyo won 34-22 at Shizuoka Blue Revs with Australian Matt McGahan having a starring role with 24 points, while former New Zealand age grade star Malo Tuitama produced a brilliant solo try for the Blue Revs.

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cw 4 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Thanks JW for clarifying your point and totally agree. The ABs are still trying to find their mojo” - that spark of power that binds and defines them. Man the Boks certainly found theirs in Wellington! But I think it cannot be far off for ABs - my comment about two coaches was a bit glib. The key point for me is that they need first a coach or coaches that can unlock that power and for me that starts at getting the set piece right and especially the scrum and second a coach that can simplify the game plans. I am fortified in this view by NBs comment that most of the ABs tries come from the scrum or lineout - this is the structured power game we have been seeing all year. But it cannot work while the scrum is backpeddling. That has to be fixed ASAP if Robertson is going to stick to this formula. I also think it is too late in the cycle to reverse course and revert to a game based on speed and continuity. The second is just as important - keep it simple! Complex movements that require 196 cm 144 kg props to run around like 95kg flankers is never going to work over a sustained period. The 2024 Blues showed what a powerful yet simple formula can do. The 2025 Blues, with Beauden at 10 tried to be more expansive / complicated - and struggled for most of the season.

I also think that the split bench needs to reflect the game they “want” to play not follow some rote formula. For example the ABs impact bench has the biggest front row in the World with two props 195cm / 140 kg plus. But that bulk cannot succeed without the right power based second row (7, 4, 5, 6). That bulk becomes a disadvantage if they don’t have a rock solid base behind them - as both Boks showed at Eden Park and the English in London. Fresh powerful legs need to come on with them - thats why we need a 6-2 bench. And teams with this split can have players focused only on 40 minutes max of super high intensity play. Hence Robertson needs to design his team to accord with these basic physics.



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