Proof Wallaby learnt his lesson from infamous tackle against Springboks
One of the most controversial tackles of 2022 was easily Marika Koroibete’s covering tackle on South Africa’s Makazole Mapimpi in the Rugby Championship.
The Wallaby seemed to show no regard for his own or Mapimpi’s safety when he charged across the field in Adelaide to stop the World Cup winner in the corner. Though he got away with it, the tackle proved to be hugely controversial in the days and weeks after that.
Well history repeated itself at the weekend, as the Saitama Wild Knights’ wing found himself in a remarkably similar position in the Japan Rugby League One final. With opposite man, Kubota Spears’ Haruto Kida, running in for a try in the corner, the former NRL star was the last man to try and stop him.
Both tackles ended in the same way with the try being prevented, but Koroibete obviously has been practicing on his technique over the last nine months. Not only did he get his head on the right side, but he wrapped his arms in the tackle on this occasion, making the tackle safer for himself and for Kida too.
Then again, Koroibete was fairly relaxed about the tackle he made on Mapimpi last year, saying after the match: “The tackle had to be made – we got a man in the bin and I have to cover his side and make that cover (tackle).
“I was just running and I knew he wasn’t going to step he was going to go for the corner so I put my head there and hoped for the best.
“We spoke this week about effort and working for each other. The forwards do their job, ruck, mauling and those sort of things and backs we have to do our job.”
The main difference between the two tackles was that it was crucial in earning a win when in the gold of Australia, but it did not save his side at the weekend, as the Wild Knights went on to lose the final.
RUGBYcomau even shared the two tackles alongside one another on Twitter this week. Take a look:
Need a last-ditch tackle in the corner? Marika is your man 🤝#LeagueOne #Wallabies pic.twitter.com/3S0IJsBUtg
— RUGBYcomau (@rugbycomau) May 22, 2023
