'Full circle': Tom Wright goes from 'scared' schoolboy to Wallabies flyer

He would see them bouncing around St Joseph's College in Hunters Hill every now and then for training while he was racing between classrooms before the bell.

Australian rugby's elite were usually on a bus heading back to their team hotel by the time Wright and his classmates were able to get anywhere near the oval or the car park.

"On the odd occasion you'd run into them, you'd more often than not be too scared to ask or run up for a photo, or it would be too busy with too many people and you'd never get a chance," Wright said.

But on one of those odd occasions this year nine student decided the time was right. So with butterflies in his stomach he nervously made his way towards playmaking sensation Christian Lealiifano and asked for a photo.

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Wind the clock forward a few years and they posed for another - only this time as ACT Brumbies teammates. If Wright thought he had come full circle then, imagine how he feels today.

Because the 23-year-old will line up on the wing for his fourth Wallabies appearance in the first Test against France in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Wright has quickly emerged as one of Super Rugby's premier wingers after returning to the 15-man code from a stint in the NRL, capping off a remarkable rise from a nervous schoolboy to Test flyer.

"To be able to look back on the photo, I'm pretty grateful I ended up mustering the courage to ask him," Wright said.

"I'm able to hang onto it for a fair while and cherish that memory. That moment is pretty surreal. I actually caught up with Christian over the weekend when we were back in Canberra.

"He is like, it's hard to put into words, the sort of relationship he has with people. He's pretty incredible, man. He's extremely humble, always makes time for absolutely anybody.

"You won't find anyone to say a bad word about him. Everyone seems to have time for him because he is always making time for others. He's a top shelf fella.

"It's funny when you're watching them on TV and they're walking around Wallabies camp when I was in year nine at school, and you ask him for a flick or a photo, then you come full circle and you end up running out with him."

Lealiifano will be watching from afar on Wednesday night, sitting back with a smile as he sees Wright and eight other Brumbies stars in action.

Among them will be Lealiifano's protege Noah Lolesio, who boasts a burning ambition to shine in his second chance in the Wallabies' No. 10 jersey.

Lolesio takes the reins from James O'Connor, who misses the opening Test through injury with sights set on returning for game two next Tuesday.

The Queensland Reds playmaker is another Wright grew up watching, back when he was a schoolkid with a burning ambition - and he's not the only one.

"We were only having a giggle yesterday about it with big Sita [Wallabies lock Sitaleki Timani]," Wright said.

"I actually remember big Sita when he first came into the Wallabies set-up years and years ago obviously before his stint overseas. I remember how big he used to look on TV, he had a big rat's tail.

"It's just funny sometimes, people you think are so far away from you when you're a kid watching them playing on TV, and then you end up being in the squad with them."

If Wright ever needs a reminder of just how far he has come leading into a clash with the side he dubs "the top tier team coming out of Europe", he just has to look at the walls in his home.

"I got some of the memorabilia done up, like my jersey and my cap all looked after at home in some framing," Wright said.

"In that sense, I get to see it on the wall, to see it in the room at home, and you realise how far you've come since you were a little kid."

WALLABIES V FRANCE

First Test: Wednesday - Australia v France at Lang Park. Broadcast live on Nine and Stan Sport. Tickets from Ticketek.

Wallabies squad: 1. James Slipper, 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 4. Matt Philip, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 8. Harry Wilson, 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Marika Koroibete, 12. Matt To'omua, 13. Hunter Paisami, 14. Tom Wright, 15. Tom Banks. Replacements: 16. Lachlan Lonergan, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Taniela Tupou, 19. Darcy Swain, 20. Isi Naisarani, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Len Ikitau, 23. Andrew Kellaway

France squad: 1. Jean-Baptise Gros, 2. Gaetan Barlot, 3. Demba Bamba, 4. Killian Geraci, 5. Romain Taofifenua, 6. Dylan Cretin, 7. Anthony Jelonch (c), 8. Sekou Macalou, 9. Baptise Couilloud, 10. Louis Carbonel, 11. Gabin Villiere, 12. Jonathan Danty, 13. Arthur Vincent, 14. Damian Penaud, 15. Melvyn Jaminet. Replacements: 16. Anthony Etrillard, 17. Quentin Walcker, 18. Sipili Falatea, 19. Florent Vanverberghe, 20. Baptiste Pesenti, 21. Cameron Woki, 22. Teddy Iribaren, 23. Anthony Bouthier

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