You’d be hard pressed finding two more contrasting five-eighths than the Brumbies’ Matt Toomua and Queensland’s Quade Cooper.
While Cooper is full of jinks, slick tricks and defends at fullback, Toomua is a steady director of play who sets an aggressive pace in the defensive line.
Just ask Force No.10 Sam Norton-Knight, who spent over a minute gasping for air after a Toomua tackle midway through the first half of their Super Rugby clash on Saturday night.
To the casual observer it looked like your standard turnover forcing hit.
To Brumbies coach Jake White, it was a game changer.
“You just had to look at a couple of Norton-Knight’s last games, he stepped and scored under the posts against the Crusaders,” White said.
“Matt had to make sure he got Norton-Knight back deeper, which is exactly what happened after that big hit.”
White is well-known for his preference for confrontational five-eighths that bring physicality to the role.
“He (White) uses his five-eighths like Butch James, who was very strong defensively and quite a big guy who took on the line well,” Toomua explains.
The former Springboks World Cup-winning coach regards Toomua highly, pointing out that since he took over in 2012, the Brumbies have lost just one game with the 23-year-old in his side.
In fact, Toomua’s combination with Christian Lealiifano is keeping Wallabies centre Pat McCabe out of the starting side.
Yet a maiden Wallabies cap will still be a big ask Toomua.
While Toomua, Cooper and the Waratahs’ Bernard Foley have been the standout Australian five-eighths over the past month, all three were excluded from Robbie Deans’ 30-man Wallabies squad to prepare for the British and Irish Lions in June.
However, with Melbourne Rebels playmaker James O’Connor as the only player in the squad currently playing at No.10, Deans may look to take another onboard.
Just don’t mention that to the unassuming Toomua, who had a hand in several tries during his side’s 41-7 thumping of the Force to earn the man-of-the-match award.
“I’m just trying to not get too carried away,” Toomua said.
“I just want to string some games together for the Brumbies and work on areas of my game.”
Toomua will get his biggest chance yet to impress Deans next Sunday when he goes head-to-head with the world’s best five-eighth Dan Carter, who is expected to return to the starting line-up for the Crusaders.
“It’s exciting to be playing against a bloke who has done such amazing things,” Toomua said.
“His poise under pressure is the main thing that sticks out. He by no means has a weakness.”
