‘I was cheering’: Jorgensen says he never lost hope of Wallabies World Cup dream
By Tom Decent
Wallabies bolter Max Jorgensen says he never lost hope of being selected in the Australia’s World Cup squad and insisted he doesn’t believe he is rushing back from a knee injury.
Jorgensen was alone at home when he received a call on Wednesday letting him know he’d been included in Eddie Jones’ squad for next month’s tournament in France.
The 18-year-old quickly rang his parents, including dad Peter, the former Wallabies representative and first-grade rugby league star.
Jorgensen has already deferred university for this semester – he is studying a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Management at Sydney University – to focus on fulfilling his dream of donning the famous gold jersey.
“It was pretty much straight into packing my bags and then I had a final feed at home with the family before heading to the airport the next morning,” Jorgensen told reporters on Friday. “I was pretty surprised when I found out, especially coming off a pretty big knee injury. It was a bit of a shock to get the call. I was cheering.
“It means the world to me and my family. All those car rides out to rugby competitions … I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Wallabies bolter Max Jorgensen poses for a photo in Darwin.Credit: Getty
When Jorgensen suffered a serious knee injury against the Crusaders in Christchurch in late May, most people put a black line through his name regarding Wallabies honours in 2023.
Months after graduating from high school at St Joseph’s College, Jorgensen was included in a Wallabies train-on squad for a camp earlier this year.
Jones, who played with Peter Jorgensen during their days at Randwick, saw something special in the Waratahs youngster.
Even though Jorgensen was on the sidelines for more than two months, Jones has gambled on the teenager and wants him involved in France.
One on one: Jones speaks with Waratahs back Max Jorgensen.Credit: Getty
“When I first did the injury, I took it pretty hard,” Jorgensen said. “Once I did it, I knew my knee was pretty cooked. The first four weeks of the injury was pretty devastating. I just bounced straight back into my rehab and had a good couple of boys around me at the Tahs getting me through it.
“By the end of it, I ground through my rehab and then got the call. It was awesome. I think I always had that hope. I don’t know how much hope I had but it was there. I was just hoping to have my chance to play for the Wallabies.”
If Jorgensen takes the field for the Wallabies this year, he will become the youngest player to pull on a gold jersey at a World Cup.
Jordan Petaia was 19 years, six months and 21 days old when he debuted against Uruguay at the 2019 World Cup.
Jorgensen turns 19 on September 2, in the lead-up to Australia’s opening match against Georgia, seven days later.
Since Wednesday’s remarkable squad announcement, there has discussion in rugby circles about whether Jorgensen is coming back into the Wallabies frame too soon.
Despite suffering a grade-three rupture of his MCL and an ACL strain, Jorgensen doesn’t believe he’s cutting corners to get back on the field. He just wants to play for his country.
“I’m not really rushing back my injury,” Jorgensen said. “I’m taking the right amount of rehab time. We’re taking it slow in training. My knee feels really good … so I’m not worried.”
Max Jorgensen and Peter Jorgensen at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Jorgensen estimates he will be fit to play – if picked – in two to three weeks. The Wallabies have a warm-up game against France on August 27 in Paris, before their Georgia fixture on September 9.
“I think I should be sweet for that first game,” Jorgensen said. “[The injury] gave me a lot of time to reflect. It was awesome looking back at the season I’ve had and how quick things have moved and seeing where I am now is just unreal.”
Jorgensen has been to a Rugby World Cup before – as a spectator.
He was 11 when he travelled with his family to the UK to watch the 2015 tournament, where Australia made it to the final.
James Slipper and Will Skelton are the only survivors from that 2015 squad. They could potentially sing the Australian national anthem alongside the kid in the stands with Wallabies jersey on and a big grin.
“That was unreal watching a lot of the boys that are in this squad now. It’s pretty cool,” Jorgensen said.
Now, the hard work begins, as Jorgensen is learning under the scorching sun in Wallabies camp in Darwin.
“It’s bloody hot,” Jorgensen told a local reporter. “I felt it at training this morning and I didn’t even do most of the stuff that the boys were doing. I was in a world of hurt.”
Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match ad-free, live and on demand in 4K UHD from September 9.