'A bit of a shock': Young gun puts studies on hold for Wallabies
SPOTLIGHT: Max Jorgensen has placed his studies on hold in the hope of becoming the youngest Wallaby ever to debut at a World Cup.
The teenage sensation conceded to be in a state of shock after receiving the call-up from coach Eddie Jones to make the trip to France with Australia’s 33-man squad.
The 18-year-old had feared his World Cup dream was over when he tore an MCL during a Waratahs Super Rugby loss to the Crusaders in May.
“I was pretty surprised when I found out, especially coming off the back of the pretty big knee injury,” Jorgensen said on Friday.
“So it was a bit of a shock to get the call, but I was cheering.
“When I first did the injury, I took it pretty hard. I knew once I did it my knee was pretty cooked. The first four weeks of the injury was pretty devastating.”
Three months on, Jorgensen says he’s in the final stages of rehab and reckons he’ll be available for Australia’s warm-up game against the tournament hosts at Stade de France on August 27.
“I should be sweet for that game,” said the St Joseph’s College graduate.
Jones has invested heavily in youth over experience and Jorgensen is promising not to let anyone down if called up to make a dream Wallabies debut during the global showpiece.
“I just back my skill and I back myself completely,” said the fleet-footed fullback or wing.
“So I think I can bring a lot to this end.”
There was one positive to Jorgensen’s injury.
“It gave me a lot of time to reflect and it was just awesome just looking back at the season I’ve had and how quickly things have moved and then seeing myself and where I am now, it’s just unreal,” he said.
Despite his meteoric rise, this won’t be Jorgensen’s first World Cup.
As a wide-eyed 10-year-old, the son of two-Test former Wallaby turned NRL star Peter Jorgensen attended the 2015 World Cup in England and loved every minute of it.
“That was unreal,” he said.
“Watching a lot of the boys that are in this squad right now.”
This time he must trade the books for the boots, with Jorgensen having to take time out from studying Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Management at Sydney University.
“I will defer for this semester and probably pick it back up next year.”
