Jack Maddocks: From Third XV to Wallabies Spring Tour
Jack Maddocks may be one of the hottest properties in Australian rugby at the moment, but just a few months ago the 21-year old barely wanted to play the sport.
Writing for the PlayersVoice, Maddocks explains how cricket was always his priority throughout school and rugby was just something he did to stay fit.
“I played in the third XV in my final year at school. To think that a couple of years later I would be on the Wallabies’ Spring Tour still blows my mind,” he wrote.
“My ultimate pipedream is to be able to keep playing my footy and have a crack at the Big Bash. I doubt it’s possible, but I can dream!”
Maddocks said that his plans started to change after a short conversation with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika at the end an Australian U20s match.
“I was sure Cheik wouldn’t have known who I was but, to my surprise, he walked straight over and congratulated me on my performance. I was stoked. We had a good chat and he mentioned to me that he was looking to take a few rookies with him on the Wallabies Spring Tour and that I was in his thinking,” he wrote.
A year and a half later, Maddocks received a call from an unknown number while he was celebrating a friends 21st birthday and was left speechless when he was told he would be invited on the Wallabies Spring Tour.
However it was a conversation with another Wallabies coach, that may have the biggest effect on his rugby career.
“The most significant thing to happen to me on tour was when Stephen Larkham took me to one side to tell me he thought my future was at No. 10.”
“Dave Wessels, Cheik and Steve are all on the same page. They see me as a five-eighth down the track. That’s not something you can pick up quickly down at the park on your own. I understand it’s a long-term thing. I still consider myself a fullback now but, with a lot of hard work, I’d like to think I could make the switch to No. 10 in 12 months or so.”