‘I was genuinely surprised’: Teammates rally behind speedster Corey Toole for a spot against the Lions

Corey Toole’s Wallabies teammates are confident that the electrifying winger will excel on the international stage if given the chance by Joe Schmidt in July.

Despite being a standout performer in Super Rugby Pacific last season, the Brumbies star was unable to break onto the pitch for Australia during the Rugby Championship after being included in the squad.

The Wagga Wagga native was part of the Australian sevens team that finished fourth at the Olympic Games in Paris, and Schmidt has provided him with a list of areas for improvement ahead of his Test rugby debut.

At 178cm tall and weighing 85kg, physicality is not his main strength, but he captured attention this year by overpowering Chiefs’ star Damian McKenzie in a semi-final match to score a crucial try in Hamilton.

“I was genuinely surprised by that,” remarked Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa during an interview with Wide World of Sports from the Wallabies camp. “It was exhilarating to see him achieve that. Normally, when you see Toole in those situations, he’s more about finesse than brute force, so seeing him do that was fantastic.”

The Wallabies will kick off their 2025 campaign against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6, with Schmidt expected to announce a fresh selection for the match against the British and Irish Lions on July 11.

“It’s fantastic to see him selected,” remarked Test prop Alaalatoa.

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“He’s electric, and we hope he’ll rack up some tries. If we can give him space, his skill set and speed will take care of the rest. I think he might have been a touch unlucky last year after receiving some feedback to work on, but I know he’s been hard at it during this Super Rugby season.

“He’s clearly heeded Joe’s advice, so it’s great to see him get a chance.”

The Lions also have a similar dynamite player from the Brumbies in their squad: Mack Hansen, who has adopted Australia as his second home.

The world champion Springboks have embraced the smaller winger too, with the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse showing that size isn’t everything.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported last year that Toole ranked among the fastest players in Australian rugby history, clocking a breathtaking top speed of 10.3m per second, equating to 37.08km/h.

In contrast, Ronaldo Mulitalo was noted as the fastest in the NRL in 2024, achieving a speed of 37.1km/h.

“Corey’s acceleration over his first 10 or 12 metres is unmatched,” said Wallabies and Brumbies fullback Tom Wright on Monday. “This aspect is crucial, particularly in our game.

“We saw that during the semi-final where he needed to find a break and then expertly finished in the corner for the try.”

Wright noted that Toole’s communication skills, defensive game, and kicking have all seen significant improvements.

Nevertheless, it’s his unparalleled speed that will always be his greatest asset.

“He’s one of the most naturally gifted players I’ve encountered—explosive and rapid. I’m genuinely eager to see him stake his claim and thrilled that he finally has this opportunity,” added Wright.