The Wallaby that Eddie Jones said can 'be the world’s best fullback’ re-signs

Coach Eddie Jones believes Tom Wright has the ability “to be the world’s best fullback” after the Wallaby re-signed with Rugby Australia and the Brumbies until the end of 2025.

With the British and Irish Lions Tour on the horizon, Rugby Australia and the ACT Brumbies confirmed on Friday that they’d secured the services of the star outside back.

Wright played a handful of NRL games for the Manly Sea Eagles before switching codes in 2018, and went on to make 13 appearances for the Brumbies in his first Super Rugby campaign.

But Wright’s best rugby was still ahead of him – and potentially still is – with the dual-code athlete going on make his debut for the Wallabies in a Bledisloe Cup clash in 2020.

Great players make Test rugby look easy, if only for a moment, and Wright certainly did that. With his first touch as a Wallaby, Wright crossed the try line in Brisbane.

Wright has played 23 Test matches in Wallaby gold, and would likely be considered a frontrunner for Eddie Jones’ squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

Clearly, the super coach is a big fan.

“Tom has the ability to be the world’s best fullback,” Jones said. “That’s the challenge for him, how much more can he find?”

As a schoolboy star, Wright juggled both rugby league and union – and he initially decided to pursue an opportunity in the 13-player game with Manly.

But Wright later made the “best decision I’ve made” by returning to rugby union and signing with the ACT Brumbies.

“I’m happy to have my future sorted and to be staying in Canberra with the Brumbies,” Wright said in a statement.

“Moving down from Sydney almost five years ago now, I had goals and aspirations that the Brumbies helped me achieve.

“A move to the Brumbies has been the best decision I’ve made and I’m grateful to the club, coaches and my teammates for their support and I’m excited for the next couple of weeks and the run to finals.

“The chance to represent Australia was and is the greatest honour for me as a player and like anyone, I’m doing everything I can to make sure I can continue to wear Wallaby gold and achieve success in that jersey.”

At just 25 years of age, there’s still so much growth left in his game. There’s a reason that Jones believes he can be “the world’s best” – the sky is the limit for Tom Wright.

“We’re thrilled to have Wrighty re-sign with the club,” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said.

“We all know what Wrighty can do on the field, but what people don’t see is his leadership around the group, his voice in training and in defence. That’s been a part of his game that has really impressed me.

“At 25, he’s only coming into his prime now but there’s no doubt he has world-class attributes and with more and more consistency, can be a pillar of success for this club moving forward.”

The Brumbies are set to host the ladder-leading Chiefs in a trans-Tasman blockbuster in Canberra this weekend.