flag
back Atrás
Sheffield-born Jorgensen out to inflict more pain on England
Max Jorgensen scores against England in 2024
Image caption, Jorgensen's final-play try earned Australia a 42-37 victory over England in 2024

Max Jorgensen is casting his mind back a couple of years.

Having just turned 20, he arrived at Twickenham in November 2024 with just three caps to his name and a spot on Australia's bench.

He left it as the day's defining figure.

In the 83rd minute, with the clock long in the red and England leading by two points, Australia shipped the ball wide, a sliver of space opened up and Jorgensen streaked away for a game-snatching score.

"It was a pretty special night for the whole team," says Jorgensen, now 22.

"To win at Twickenham – the home of rugby – it's a hard place to win and to do it in that fashion was pretty cool.

"It can be a daunting place, with 85,000 people singing and chanting.

"It's sort of a different type of atmosphere than you get over in Australia so to have that confidence of knowing we've done it before is definitely good."

Australia face England at Twickenham on Sunday [15:10 GMT].

Despite his youth, Jorgensen was prepared better than most for Allianz Stadium's matchday cauldron.

Somewhere in a drawer back in Sydney, there is a British passport with his face staring out of the page.

Jorgensen was born in Sheffield.

His father Peter was playing in the Premiership at the time, in the midst of a six-year stint in Britain during which he played for Northampton, Rotherham and Edinburgh.

The family returned to Australia when Peter retired and Max was still a toddler.

However Peter, a former Wallaby himself, and an 11-year-old Max flew to the UK in 2015 to watch that year's Rugby World Cup.

Max was decked out in green and gold then, cheering the Wallabies to victory over England, and he was never going to switch sides as a player.

"That was never something I wanted to do," he told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2025.

"I just always had the dream of playing for the Wallabies. I am stoked every time I get to do it."

Since that memorable 2024 win at Twickenham, Jorgensen, who resisted overtures from rugby league's NRL as a teenager, has become a first-choice back-three pick for his team.

His happy knack of playing big in big games has continued as well.

Jorgensen crossed in the first and third Tests against the British and Irish Lions last year, and his break helped set up Tom Wright's try in the second.

England v Australia

Nations Championship

Sunday 8 November, 15:10 GMT

Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Live commentary on BBC Sports Extra, BBC Sport website and app

He scored the try that proved the match-winner in September's extraordinary 42-38 victory over South Africa, having also crossed in the Wallabies' first win over Springboks at Ellis Park in 62 years.

He knows that Australia need to be more consistent if he and they are to feature in the biggest matches in this autumn's Nations Championship finals and, beyond, at next year's home Rugby World Cup.

As 2024 is mentioned, Jorgensen is just as quick to bring up last year's meeting with England in which the hosts ran out to a comfortable 25-10 victory.

Jorgensen himself endured a miserable time last time out, butchering a chance and throwing an interception in New Zealand's 43-21 success in Sydney in October.

However, he believes Australia, under the leadership of new coach Les Kiss, are trending in the right direction.

"We've come a long way, we aren't the perfect team, but we are definitely getting better," he says.

Formlines and trylines alike will be in sharper focus come Sunday evening.

You may like

New Zealand's European-born duo complete unlikely journeys to test rugby

straitstimes.com hace 49 minutos

Preview: Ireland vs. Argentina - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk hace 20 horas

Kurtley Beale on his return to Wallabies fold aged 37: ‘There was some unfinished business’

theguardian.com hace 1 día

Beale eyes home World Cup after surprise Wallabies call-up

straitstimes.com hace 1 día

‘We’re committed to Steve’ – RFU chief backs Borthwick to see out England contract

independent.ie hace 20 horas

Tom Curry a major injury doubt for England with twin Ben poised to step up against Australia

theguardian.com hace 1 hora

Wallabies’ pay dispute with Rugby Australia overshadows Nations Championship finale

theguardian.com hace 1 hora

Fin Baxter has quietly become one of England’s most influential players

aol.com hace 1 día

Why Jim Hamilton believes Mike Blair should be in the mix to become Scotland's next head coach

dailymail.co.uk hace 20 horas

Reece Walsh hits back after footy fans' brutal spray of Kangaroos ahead of World Cup semi-final: ...

dailymail.co.uk hace 1 día