Marika Koroibete stakes claim to being the best finisher in the world
While Marika Koroibete’s approach to defending tries in the corner has been questioned in the past, his ability to score tries in the corner never has, and he showed at the weekend why he might be the best finisher in the game.
Up against Toyota Verblitz in Japan Rugby League One, the Wallabies and Saitama Wild Knights winger pulled off a try in the corner that very few, if any, other wingers in the world could match.
Opposing fly-half Tiaan Falcon put up a very good fight to chase down the former rugby league winger into the corner and looked as though he was going to be able to flick Koroibete’s feet into touch just in time. But the 30-year-old was able to pull off a feat of acrobatics by leaping while running at top speed. With his whole body over the line in midair, only Koroibete’s right hand remained in the field of play. Fortunately for him, the right hand was all that mattered as it had the ball, allowing him to score his first of two tries of the match in his side’s 34-19 win, leaving the Wild Knights at the top of the league.
Take a look at the try:
Marika Koroibete with the Try of the Weekend and potentially Try of the Season, so far 🥵
Utter madness 👌🏼 #LeagueOne pic.twitter.com/pfPTyirjy9
— Darren (@SaffasRugby) January 16, 2023
Ironically, one of the only people that may have been able to stop Koroibete in this position is Koroibete himself, although not necessarily legally. The Wallaby’s tackle technique was brought into question in the Rugby Championship when he saved a try against the Springboks in Adelaide by more or less sprinting full pelt into Makazole Mapimpi without any regard for the laws of rugby, technique or Mapimpi’s or his own safety.
Unfortunately for Falcon, he is not Koroibete, but still showed that he has plenty of pace in order to keep up with the Australian as he raced down the touchline.
