Ex-Wallabies star reveals why re-signing Jack Maddocks should be one of Rugby Australia's 'great priorities'
Former Wallabies midfielder Morgan Turinui has described re-capturing the signature of Waratahs flyer Jack Maddocks as "one of the great priorities" in Australian rugby following his impressive return to action over the weekend.
Maddocks starred in New South Wales' 32-26 defeat to the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Friday, putting on a scintillating attacking show that saw him run for 139 metres, beat a pair of defenders and make three clean breaks.
The 23-year-old's capped off his display with a belter of a try in the second half after running a deft line to receive an inside pass from teammate Lachlan Swinton that set him free to dot down untouched under the posts.
In what was undoubtedly his best performance for the Waratahs since moving back to Sydney this year after three-season spell with the Melbourne Rebels, the match was also the first time that Maddocks was selected in his favoured fullback position for his new side.
During his time in Melbourne and in his previous appearances for the Waratahs prior to the COVID-19 lockdown, the seven-test Wallaby struggled for game time in the No. 15 jersey due to the presence of Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau.
Maddocks was subsequently utilised predominantly on the wing, with some suggesting he could even ply his trade at No. 10 due to his diverse skill set.
However, speaking to the Rugby Ruckus Tight Five podcast, Turinui indicated that if Maddocks is to realise his test-level credentials and consistently replicate the form he showed at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, he needs to remain at fullback.
“Jack Maddocks is a fullback, and excellent fullback, and he’s going to be for a long time," Turinui, who coached Maddocks at the Rebels during his time as an assistant in 2017, said.
“People have talked about him being a 10 because he’s a skilful player, he can actually throw a ball of both sides quite well.
“We saw a decent left foot kick from him on the weekend, so he can kick off both feet when he has to, and it’s great to see players with the confidence and the work ethic to have that confidence that goes behind it.
“To kick off both feet’s what we want from our fullbacks, it’s what we ideally want from our wingers, and it’s definitely what we want from our 10s.
“You see a talented footballer with good vision, good skills, we think ‘Maybe we should make him a 10’, and perhaps that’s what we did with [Stephen] Larkham all those years ago, we’re always looking to turn a player into the next great 10.
“This bloke’s a fullback. He definitely isn’t a winger, he’s not brilliant positionally as a winger, defensively doesn’t suit him as a winger.
“He’ll come up and make a really good front-on tackle one-on-one if he has to as a fullback, but he was always out of position just giving too much space to quality attackers at wing.
“It made him look worse than he was, he was unhappy on the wing, he’s a 15."
Turinui said that the departures of Folau (Catalan Dragons) and Beale (Racing 92) from the Waratahs has given Maddocks a chance to stake his claim for the Australian fullback spot under the tutelage of new head coach Dave Rennie.
“He understands the Rebels, they’ve got Haylett-Petty. He [understood] early days with Beale, he was hesitant, probably, to come back to the Tahs at the time.
“Folau was still probably going to be there, and Beale, as well, was going to be there, so now the Red Sea’s opened and he has an opportunity.
“He’s a fullback, and now what he’s going to get is an opportunity to create that body of work for Dave Rennie to watch.
“He’s going to wear that 15 jersey, and if he continues the way he is from the weekend, he’ll be in that Wallabies team."
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I think the best 15 we have is DMac. Jordan at 14.
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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