Koroibete instrumental in Knights win

Fiji-born winger Marika Koroibete helped his Panasonic Wild Knights to register a 27-3 win over the Canon Eagles in a Japan Rugby League One match today. 

 

After a tight opening half hour with the scores locked at 3-3, it was the former Wallabies brilliance that sparked the Wild Knights into life with a break down the left hand side from a kick return. 

 

Springbok centre Jesse Kriel failed to grab the wild pass back inside, knocking it backward into the path of recently capped Brave Blossom Dylan Riley.

 

The fortuitous bounce allowed Riley to score under the posts which gave Panasonic a 10-3 lead just before halftime.

 

Another Koroibete break saw former Welsh international Hadleigh Parkes storm onto a short ball on a scrum play around halfway.

 

Koroibete was instrumental when he sliced through the Eagles backline before finding his flanker in support, Lachlan Boshier. Parkes was the final recipient, scoring untouched to blow the score out to 17-3, a lead which Panasonic never let up.

 

Having inked a three-year deal with the Panasonic Wild Knights, Koroibete's international career is in limbo with 42-caps to his name not enough to meet the existing Giteau law requirement of 60 for overseas-based Wallabies.

 

By Romeka Romena