The son rises: Waratahs name teenage star Jorgensen to debut against Brumbies

The son rises: Waratahs name teenage star Jorgensen to debut against Brumbies,Thirty-one years after his father Peter debuted for NSW as a 19-year-old, Max Jorgensen will do the same on Friday - aged 18.

The son rises: Waratahs name teenage star Jorgensen to debut against Brumbies

The Waratahs are confident teenage sensation Max Jorgensen is ready for Super Rugby after naming the 18-year-old for his debut against the Brumbies on Friday night at Allianz Stadium.

A few months after leaving school, Jorgensen will start on the wing for NSW, in a Wallabies-laden backline. After only turning 18 late last year, Jorgensen will become the second-youngest Waratah to play Super Rugby, behind Kurtley Beale.

Jorgensen even has his old man covered, by 193 days. Max’s father Peter Jorgensen was also a teenage phenomenon who debuted for the Waratahs a few days past his 19th birthday in 1992.

Jorgensen senior went on to play for the Wallabies in the same year before he switched to league, where he played for Penrith and the Roosters.

Max grew up playing both codes and was the subject of a fierce cross-code tussle while still at St Josephs’ College, with Roosters coach Trent Robinson personally wooing the outside back. But Rugby Australia won the battle and after fast-tracking him into the senior squad, Jorgensen’s class immediately shone, according to Waratahs backs coach Chris Whitaker.

“He is pretty advanced,” Whitaker said.

Max Jorgensen darts through the Queensland defence to score for NSW.Credit:Stan Sport

“I remember watching him at school, and when he first came in I was thinking it is going to be a big step for him, for a school kid to be able to play Super Rugby. But from week one you could see he is a different kettle of fish. He is a quality player.

“He has got speed … and just his ability to find space and put other people into space. Generally, you find a kid in school, who is fast, they usually just run around people and so don’t have an awareness of where space is, and how to put people into space.

“But he has a good offloading game, seems to find himself in space and works hard off the ball to get the ball in his hands. He is definitely a lot more advanced than we thought he would be.”

While conceding the Brumbies would likely target Jorgensen, Whitaker said they were happy for him to learn on the job.

Max Jorgensen (left) and Peter Jorgensen, who debuted for NSW aged 19 in 1992.Credit:Waratahs, Fairfax

“He is a kid who is learning and a good way to learn is to stick him in the middle. He has shown at training he is good enough to warrant a spot,” he said.

“We have all confidence in him. We are not going to get too upset if he makes a mistake here and there, because that’s understandable. It is a big step up from what he has done in the past but from what we have seen at training, he can handle that level.”

The Waratahs and Brumbies both named their teams for the Super Rugby opener on Wednesday, and while the only surprise was Jorgensen getting the nod to replace injured Dylan Pietsch ahead of Nemani Nadolo, Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham made a number of tactical calls, leaving five Wallabies on the bench given their limited involvements in trials.

Former Shute Shield star Jack Debrecenzi, who had stints with Melbourne, the Chiefs and in Japan, will start at No.10 in his debut for the Brumbies, ahead of Noah Lolesio. Starting Wallabies No.9 Nic White will also come off the bench, along with Darcy Swain, James Slipper and Lachlan Lonergan.

After settling on a back row trio of Michael Hooper, Lachie Swinton and Charlie Gamble, Waratahs coach Darren Coleman named a six-two bench to include Langi Gleeson and Will Harris.

With Beale unavailable, Ben Donaldson will resume his 2022 role and start at fullback, with Tane Edmed named in the No.10. Lalakai Foketi and Izzy Perese will play their first games of the year in the midfield.

Larkham said he’d opted for Debreczeni based on his combination with halfback Ryan Lonergan, and assured performances in training and during the Brumbies trials.

“Whitey had to be rested through the preseason trial games and Noah didn’t get any minutes in the trial games either, so we are just looking for that combination to start the game,” he said.

“Jack has been really impressive in the games, and he has also been a real leader out there on the field in training, so it makes sense we have that continuity going into the game.”

Larkham, who named former Aussie sevens player Corey Toole for a debut on the wing, said he wouldn’t be drawing up game plans to target Jorgensen.

“You have got to be careful you don’t target any one particular player in any opposition, if you get too fixated on that you probably miss the bigger picture and other guys are running through you are around you,” he said.

Watch all the action from the Super Rugby Pacific with every match streaming ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport kicking off Friday 17 February.