Rebel rapt to get call-up

FOR NRL convert Marika Koroibete, a Wallabies debut at AAMI Park on Saturday would be the perfect trifecta.

But the explosive Melbourne Rebels winger insists he is shocked to be in a position to make his first international appearance in his debut rugby union season.

“I was surprised [to be called up],” Koroibete said.

“I still have more to learn. I think I have improved each week, but the Rebels aren’t going well this season.

“So to get a call-up along with a few other Melbourne Rebels players, it was a bit of a shock for me.

“I will grab this opportunity with both hands and hopefully get a debut.”

Since switching from the Melbourne Storm at the end of last season, Koroibete has made 11 starts for the Rebels, scoring four tries.

This is not the 24-year-old’s first taste of Wallabies action, given he was a part of the Spring Tour squad at the end of last season.

But now he is itching make his full debut.

And to do so this week would be capped off further by the fact the game is in his home town of Melbourne and against Fiji, where he was born. to

“I was brought up in Fiji, I’ve worn the Fiji rugby jumper,” he said. “But to get the opportunity to wear the Wallabies jumper — and against them — it would make it more special.

“And in Melbourne it would make it even more good.”

Koroibete described his code switch as “pretty hard”, but insisted his knowledge of his new code had improved exponentially.

“But there’s still more to work on to be actually doing it [on the field],” he said.

“I’m pretty sure though now that I’m where I want to be.

“I need to get a bit more ball in my hand and defensively I need to dig a bit better.”

Rebels coach Tony McGahan said Koroibete’s work off the ball had been his biggest improvement.

“It’s been difficult to be a winger in our group so far, but the growth that Marika is getting — just in training and certainly in games — in terms of the off the ball stuff [is noticeable],” McGahan said.

“When to go to breakdowns, when not to, defensive positioning, back three positioning, cover lines, first phase set-ups — those are the sorts of things that are really critical as part of his development.

“We’ve seen really good growth there.”