In form Melbourne Rebels winger Jack Maddocks says his key to becoming one of the most damaging outside backs in Super Rugby is by playing off his instincts.
Maddocks has scored eight tries in six games to sit atop of the competition’s try scoring list, with the winger having scored two tries in a game over three times this season.
And the 22-year-old believes there’s no magical secret behind his increased output in 2019, saying his scoring has come off entering games with no man dates to score tries.
“Try scoring is the last thing I think about, it’s all about doing your role and connecting with other players, and it sort of comes off the back of that,” Maddocks said.
“I don’t really go into the game thinking I want to get this, I want to get that, because you can sort of feel like you’ve played the game before you get out there.
“I like to just feel natural and sort of play off my natural instincts.”
After earning his Wallabies debut during the 2018 Spring Tour, Maddocks also revealed that he gained several kilograms before returning to the Rebels for preseason training.
And while some may think the increase in his physical size may have come off a laborious offseason gym program, Maddocks has put down his weight gain to being a late developer.
“I put on three and a half kilos just between spring tour and preseason which is only a month and a half long,” Maddocks said.
“I don’t really know how that came on because I wasn’t going to the gym that much and my body fat was the same, so I think it was just natural growth.
“I was naturally a late developer and I didn’t get into the gym until I was 18 or 19, so I was just a bit behind the eight ball and I’m starting to make that up right now.”
As the Rebels prepare to face the Sunwolves, Maddocks will have his work cut out for him on the wing as he takes on fellow in form outside back Semisi Masirewa, who is coming off a hattrick performance against the Waratahs.
Maddocks also says the Melburnians will have to be wary of the Sunwolves kicking game, with in form number 10 Hayden Parker a clear threat amongst the Japanese side’s backline.
“They play a really good style of footy,” Maddocks said.
“They’ve got a few really good kickers, Hayden Parker is a good kicker and there’s some long kickers in their back three.”
“I guess that sort of suits us because we get the ball in our hands and that excites us.”
