High-rise ambitions of scaffolder Ducker
HOT-SHOT Redruth wing Alex Ducker has set his sights set on a Premiership future after tearing it up in National Two South.
Ducker, whose nifty footwork compares favourably with Wasps’ finisher Christian Wade according to Redruth head coach Marek Churcher, is on the radar of top-flight clubs after notching 20 tries to top the league scoring charts.
The 23-year-old scaffolder admits he is in the last chance saloon after failing to make the grade in the Championship at Cornish Pirates two seasons ago, but he is making the requisite improvements and is desperate for another big chance. Ducker told The Rugby
Paper: “Pirates was tough; I was a lot lighter than I am now and my work-rate wasn’t high enough.
“But Marek Churcher sat me down and said if I concentrated on my game and listened, I had a good chance of going somewhere.
“Marek’s made a big difference. With him being involved at Exeter, he’s been able to show me the examples of Jack Nowell and Matt Jess, probably the two hardest working wings in Europe, and how it should be done.
“I’ve taken all that on board and a lot of tries I’ve scored this season have been from working hard, creeping around rucks in support and working from left to right off my wing rather than just staying on my own side.”
Churcher, who doubles as an academy coach at Exeter, reckons the stocky 5ft 10in Ducker has huge potential.
He said: “Alex still has to be that complete package but there are not many guys with the X-factor he has with ball in hand.
“You see Christian Wade beat people on a sixpence... well, Alex is the same calibre in terms of his feet and raw speed. He’s such a balanced runner and when he steps he doesn’t lose pace.
“What he’s proving this year is that he’s willing to make areas of his game better and he has a future at a higher level.”
Ducker, who has represented Exeter at the Singha Sevens, lacks nothing in self-confidence and is aiming for the top.
He said: “Marek has picked my work-rate up and I’ve worked hard on my defence and game-understanding, but this is my last chance.
“I don’t want to just say I’ll do a year in the Championship, I want to go straight to a Premiership club and make it work.
“It’s not going to happen overnight, I understand that, but if I can get myself in that environment I’ll give it my best shot.”