Two months ago, Max Jorgensen limped off the field with an ankle injury during the Waratahs’ clash against the Hurricanes.
Now, the young star is eyeing a return for the quarter-finals—and potentially a spot on the Wallabies' Lions squad.
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“I was a bit scared,” Jorgensen admitted, speaking to reporters.
“It felt very similar to what I did in France.”
Originally, the 20-year-old feared he would be out with a three-to-four-month rehab, ending his chances of playing against the British & Irish Lions.
It seemed a cruel repeat of 2023, when he missed the Rugby World Cup due to a fractured fibula just days before flying out to France. However, this time the damage wasn’t as severe for the young Wallaby.
While it hasn’t been an easy road, Jorgensen says a shift in mindset has helped him tackle the rehab process with a fresh perspective, and reframe his setbacks.
“I look back at my first year… I had that mindset of, why is this me? Why did it happen to me?” he admitted.
“It’s not a good mindset to have.
“Now it’s like, no, it’s not my fault. No one’s coming for me. It’s what I signed up for. It’s part of the job. That sort of change in mindset has really helped me get through the rehab.”
He’s taken that same mentality into recovery, and is now tracking to return just in time for the Super Rugby quarter-finals.
Taking things “day by day,” Jorgensen is eager to get back out there and hasn’t lost his edge.
“From a confidence point of view, I definitely feel ready to go into those bigger arenas,” the young Wallaby added.
Breaking out into the Australian side over the last two years, Jorgensen has focused on physical development, adding strength and size in the gym, and finding his rhythm on the field.
When fit, he’s become a proven attacking weapon and a safe pair of hands under the high ball.
His return will be a welcome one for the Waratahs, who will be travelling to face the Western Force and the Blues following their match against the Crusaders this weekend.
