Mark Nawaqanitawase: Why Australia dual-code international is such a threat

While the ball is largely the same shape and the posts are similar, union and league are sports with nuanced differences. It was going to take time to adjust.

There were a few early-season wobbles defensively, such as the test under the high ball, which he has worked hard to tidy up since.

No such issues can be found with the core skills though, and it is the finishing where the former Wallaby has the most potential for devastation.

He can haul his frame high to collect pinpoint kicks from Munster and Nathan Cleary, while in keeping with the spectacular finishes made routine by league’s acrobatic wingers, he can also launch himself to touch down.

England saw signs of the threat in their first Test loss, as his burst of speed from a Walsh cut-out ball gave Australia an opening that they grasped greedily for the opening try.

Jake Wardle had to be alert to haul him down as he rampaged away seeking to put his name on the scoresheet late on, providing that zip out on the right for a star-studded Australia side.

He can also laugh at himself and has quickly been welcomed into the fold, particularly when he turned up at the airport for the trip to England with his old union Wallabies luggage. Clearly a resourceful human.

Nawaqanitawase, who is of Fijian and Italian heritage, made the right impression stats-wise on his head coach Kevin Walters, and played a key role for the team in terms of hard yards – quite literally.

Only man of the match Walsh ran for more metres – 236 to Nawaqanitawase’s 216, showing that the code-convert has adapted brilliantly to the yardage requirements of the modern winger.

He topped the post-contact metres, proving how difficult England found handling his carries, while two line-breaks and four tackle-breaks further highlight his value.