Waratahs No.8 Jed Holloway had been one of the form players of the 2016 Super Rugby season and looked in line for a Wallabies call up before injury struck last month. Rugby News caught up with the 23-year old to chat about his injury and find out what helped him find career best form this season. 

You’re set to miss the next four months with a shoulder injury, what exactly happened?

Initially I knocked it in the captains run ahead of the Cheetahs game and I got a scan on it but then it reacted really well so I was back playing after two weeks for the Crusaders game. Early in the second half I rushed up out of the line to grab a bloke and it just popped straight out again. We were sitting on the fence for a while, deciding if I needed surgery or if I could just rehab it, but I decided I needed to get it right. I would have been playing with it in the back of my mind and I didn’t want to be a detriment to the team. I’ll have the pre season to get it right and be ready to go for the start of next season.

You’re form in the opening half of the Super Rugby season has been outstanding, what have you done differently this year?

I think I just found some consistency in my routine and in my training. It’s something Daryl (Gibson) talks about a lot and I just started following what some of the older guys were doing. That put me in a really good position heading into the trials and my confidence just grew from there. I spent most of the pre season training in one position (No.8), so I was able to concentrate on that role a lot more than I had in previous years.

You looked to have put on plenty of size over summer, how much time did you spend in the gym?

A lot of people have said that but I really didn’t notice it too much. I think your body just naturally fills out as you finish growing. I’m still only 23, but I think this year my body matured a lot and got used to being in the gym every day. I actually got stuck in Bali (when a Volcano erupted and all the airports closed) and I missed the first few days of training and came back a bit fat, but I got rid of that pretty quickly. I didn’t really change what I was doing and our gym program didn’t change, I think I just found that consistency in my training.

You were handed the starting Waratahs No.8 jersey this year, how much confidence did that give you?

Yeah I took a lot out of that. Daryl just backed me to play to my strengths and didn’t want me to change and that gave me a huge amount of confidence. We are trying to play an attractive and expansive style of rugby and that’s the type of rugby that I want to play so I think that helped me slot into the side. Daryl just backed me to do what I do best and that is run in those wider channels and get into those open spaces. Once you sort of get a sniff of what you can do at that level, you want to be performing every week and I’ve really enjoyed it this year, it’s been unreal.

How much did you learn from the 29-10 loss to the Crusaders on a wet night in New Zealand?

You try not to let the mental aspect affect you when you play a New Zealand side in New Zealand but it’s really tough. They just seem to do all the simple things so well and they execute to top standard and that’s why they are the benchmark. Guys like Kieran Read don’t look overly intimidating, but they just do everything really really well. If you aren’t nailing your lineout at 95-100%, they are going to make you pay. In that Crusaders game, they took advantage of every mistake me made, plus they were playing from anywhere so it was definitely an eye opener. If you aren’t ready to go from the opening whistle, they are going to blow you out of the park and that night they did that and scored two tries in the opening 10 minutes. We just never recovered from that.

You mentioned earlier that you like to play a wide expansive style, are you able to play a tighter, more traditional No.8 role?

Yeah for sure, that just comes down to adjusting to the game style and being able to make those changes on your feet. I’ve got no problem putting my head in those tight channels but at the moment, that isn’t the role Daryl wants me to play. We train for a game plan and obviously we have a back-up, but I still think I need to be better at adjusting on the run. In Super Rugby, everyone is a good footy player so it pretty much comes down to who is the smartest and that’s what I want to be as I mature.

Injury aside, are you good enough to play Test rugby at the moment?

I’d like to back myself and say that yes I am. Looking back at this year, I think I’ve finally got enough confidence in my game to play to my ability. The last few years, I’ve been constantly questioning whether or not I’m good enough or if I was just a good club rugby player and that definitely takes a mental toll. I think I started the year quite well and then my consistency just grew from there and I’m quite happy with how I’m playing. In saying that, there are a lot of good backrowers in Australia and I know I’ve still got plenty to prove, so I’m just keen to get my shoulder right, get back out there and do that.

What do you want to achieve in your rugby career?

I grew up in Yamba and I’ll never forget what it was like when we had players visit our school or our club. I just really like being involved in a rugby club, like Southern Districts, and seeing the impact the players and the club have on the people and the community around them. I love the game and if I can help it in any way, shape or form, then I think I’m doing my job.

And on the field?

Obviously playing for my country is a massive goal and hopefully that comes down the track but aside from that, I’d love to have success with the Waratahs. Even though I was involved with the side when they won their last title, I’d love to play in a winning side. That would be pretty special.