[9] An all-round schoolboy athlete, he swam in the summer with the Cooks Hill Surf Life Saving Club.

[8] In 1950 he was a regular first grader at University, was coached by former Wallaby Joe Kraefft and played against a visiting British Isles side.

[11] He focussed on his studies for the next couple of years but in 1954 was back in the national side in a series of games against the visiting Fijians playing in one Test at fullback and another at centre.

It was a surprise when at the end of that season and as the current Australian captain, he was not selected in the 27-man Wallaby side to tour Britain, Ireland and France.

Howell reports that his omission defied explanation given his positional versatility but Tooth took it in his stride and travelled himself to the United Kingdom at that time to continue his medical studies.