JACK IN THE BOX SEAT FOR WALLABIES START
In the absence of Israel Folau, the Wallabies seek an attacking threat that can conjure miracles to end their 32-year losing streak to the All Blacks in Auckland, and that man will be Jack Maddock.
But the 21-year-old could have easily been fixing another hole in Australian sport – the top order of the men’s cricket team.
Maddocks, a two-time NSW cricketer of the year in his age group and former teammate of Test cricketer Ed Cowan, was amused to hear comments by Shane Warne this week.
“I’m loving the path that footy is taking me but I did read an article the other day which was interesting, Shane Warne saying that there’s no batting talent coming through, because I was a young batsman five years ago when they were falling out of trees,” Maddocks said.
Instead, life took him on a new trajectory when, from the third XV at school in 2015, Maddocks was picked to go on the Wallabies’ spring tour at the end of last year.
The rookie winger, who made an impressive Test debut off the bench last week and scored Australia’s only try in the 38-13 loss, will now start on the wing at Eden Park, where the Wallabies have not beaten the All Blacks since 1986.
The Wallabies will likely push Dane Haylett-Petty to fullback in place of the injured Folau, with Maddocks and Marika Koroibete to complete the back three.
Maddocks, who once floated the idea of playing in the Big Bash in between rugby seasons, can barely register how his dreams growing up of playing professional cricket has somehow turned into being Australia’s potential saviour in a Bledisloe Test in Auckland.
“No regrets, I’m absolutely loving what I’m doing at the moment, having so much fun and coming to cool places like this and I’m also loving the journey it’s taking, not only me but my friends and my family,” Maddocks said.
“Last Saturday was a really special moment so I’m just really happy to be doing what I’m doing at the moment.”
Meanwhile, under-fire Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has dismissed calls for his head following last week’s loss to New Zealand.
“For me, I feel no matter who is throwing rocks, I’m in a good place because I’m always the hardest critic on myself,” he said.
Cheika said three losses from the first four Tests of 2018 doesn’t accurately reflect the team’s progress.
He believes they remain on track to launch a compelling campaign at next year’s World Cup in Japan and he’s the man to lead it — as he did to the final of the 2015 tournament.
“I’ve always had a plan about what I want to do,” Cheika said.