Australia coach Michael Cheika has defended fast-tracking rugby league convert Marika Koroibete into his tour squad for Europe after the Fiji-born winger’s selection was derided on social media.
Koroibete has never played a professional game in the 15-man code in Australia, but was named in Cheika’s 32-man squad for the season-ending tour after coming off his fifth season in Australia’s top-flight National Rugby League (NRL).
His inclusion came at the expense of two-Test Queensland back Luke Morahan and sparked criticism from local pundits and rugby fans that the Wallabies jersey was being given up cheaply.
“The fact of the matter is I am not cheapening the jersey, because he hasn’t got one yet,” Cheika told reporters on a conference call yesterday. “No one’s getting a jersey for free, no-one has and no-one will.”
“I think he’s obviously a talent who can contribute for us and make an impact further down the road, definitely,” he said.
The 24-year-old Koroibete is to play Super Rugby for the Melbourne Rebels next year after two seasons with NRL club the Melbourne Storm.
The explosive flyer is not expected to debut in the November-December Tests against Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and England.
However, Cheika said he could see him taking the field in the mid-week match against a French Barbarians team late next month.
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