Last year, Cokanasiga gave the Queen a surprise.. now the giant wing has put the whole of world rugby on high alert
JOE COKANASIGA has gone from startling the Queen to alarming the Commonwealth.
At the start of last year, barechested and dressed as a Fijian warrior, he greeted Her Majesty at a Norwich arts show with a club in his hand.
On Saturday it was the rugby world who were left wide-eyed as the giant winger bulldozed Australia to deliver a clear message that England mean business as they head into World Cup year.
“Big Joe on the wing, he’s a freak,” said Jamie George after the 21-yearold powered out of a tackle to score one try and was only denied a second after a barnstorming run by two defenders risking life and limb to gang up on him.
“Physically, he is incredible. Jeez, he’s a threat,” the hooker added. “People like that have the X factor – and there aren’t many in world rugby like that at the minute.”
Cokanasiga is the first England player for four years to score tries in each of his first two Tests. “It was like watching Dane Haylett-Petty run into a brick wall as he tried to stop him,” observed World-Cup winner Mike Tindall.
And coach Eddie Jones warned: “He’s just starting. He’s still got his training pants on. Wait until he gets proper pants. He’ll be able to play a bit.”
The youngster’s performance, allied to the set-piece dominance of his forwards, had Wallaby great Matt Giteau – presumably through gritted teeth – describing England as the “real deal”.
More than any Home Unionsbased commentary, Giteau’s verdict will send ripples of apprehension across the Commonwealth fields of the southern hemisphere.
The second half was what Jones had demanded the day he took charge, ironically after Australia humiliated England on the very same Twickenham stage.
“The traditions of English rugby are to have a strong set-piece and to be defensively strong,” he had said. On Saturday the set-piece was watertight, the breakdown efficient.
They did concede two tries, but that is six across four Tests – not the worst given a new coach has changed their defensive system.
They cannot yet play for 80 minutes, which cost them against New Zealand and will do so again if they don’t sharpen their act against Ireland next time out.
But the pluses of this autumn outweigh the minuses, what with the return of Manu Tuilagi and the emergence of Cokanasiga, all 6ft4in and 18 stones of him.
Those are Jonah Lomu-like dimensions and there is no disguising the similarity in styles between the late great All Black and the youngster who is so inspired by his example.
Where X-Factor meets England’s got talent, you might say.
ENGLAND – Tries: May, Daly, Cokanasiga, Farrell. Cons: Farrell 4. Pens: Farrell 3.
AUSTRALIA – Tries: Folau 2. Cons: Toomua. Pens: Toomua 2.