Max Jorgensen, the 22-year-old Australian international, has stated that he always intended to continue the family tradition and play for the Wallabies, despite being eligible for England. He was born in Sheffield while his father Peter was playing in the Premiership, during a six-year period in Britain in which he represented Northampton, Rotherham and Edinburgh.
The family returned to Australia when Peter, himself a former Wallaby, retired, and Max was still young at the time. Peter and the then 11-year-old Max travelled to the United Kingdom in 2015 to watch the Rugby World Cup, and Max was dressed in green and gold, cheering for a Wallabies victory over England.
Jorgensen told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2025: "That was never something I wanted to do. I have always dreamed of playing for the Wallabies. I am delighted every time I can." As a teenager, he rejected offers from the NRL rugby league.
In November 2024, he arrived at Twickenham with just three caps and a place on the Australia bench. In the 83rd minute, when the clock had long been in the red and England were leading by two points, Australia sent the ball wide, a sliver of space opened up and Jorgensen broke away for a try that snatched the game.
Last year, he scored tries in the first and third tests against the British and Irish Lions, and his break helped set up Tom Wright's try in the second. In September, he scored a try that proved to be the winner in a 42-38 victory over South Africa, and also scored a try in the Wallabies' first win over the Springboks at Ellis Park in 62 years. In October, in a 43-21 defeat to New Zealand in Sydney, he missed an opportunity and threw a pick-and-go.
Australia is under the leadership of new coach Les Kiss. Jorgensen says: "We have come a long way, we are not a perfect team, but we are definitely getting better." The Nations Championship match between England and Australia takes place on Sunday, 8 November, at 15:10 GMT at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, with live coverage on BBC Sports Extra, the BBC Sport website and app.
