The NSW Waratahs have agreed to terms with the Melbourne Rebels for the transfer of Jack Maddocks, who will join their squad for the 2020 Vodafone Super Rugby season.
Maddocks will join his new teammates today for his first training session at NSW Rugby’s Daceyville headquarters.
A capped Wallaby and Australian Sevens representative, Maddocks returns to New South Wales after three seasons in Victoria.
A product of The Scots College, Eastern Suburbs and a NSW U20 representative; the utility back will join a squad featuring plenty of familiar faces and former teammates.
NSW Waratahs staff will now liaise with Maddocks and the Australian 7s coaching staff on what a potential shared model would look like ahead of their 2020 playing schedule.
NSW Waratahs Head Coach, Rob Penney said that signing a player of Maddocks’ calibre was a huge boost as his side resumes their pre-season preparations.
“First and foremost, Jack is a wonderfully talented player,” Penney said.
“When the opportunity arose to bring him back [to NSW] it was one I was really keen on for a number of reasons.
“Jack can play right across the backline, he’s got speed, skill and creativity with the ball in hand.
“Bringing him back gives us a range of options in the way we’d like to set up. I’m looking forward to seeing him on the training pitch over the next few weeks as he starts to embed himself into the combinations we’ve established over pre-season.”
Maddocks said he was glad to have a deal for the 2020 season sorted and was looking forward to returning to New South Wales.
“It’s something that has been discussed for a while so to have it sorted and be back home is great,” Maddocks said.
“New South Wales is home for me, my family are here, it’s where I started playing rugby and it’s where I want to continue my career – being involved with both the [NSW] Waratahs and Eastern Suburbs.
“From all reports it’s a great environment that Rob [Penney] and the staff have created over the pre-season and one I’m excited to be a part of.
“I’d like to thank everyone at the [NSW] Waratahs and the Rebels for making this move possible.”
NSWRU General Manager of Rugby, Tim Rapp said it was pleasing to see the return of a former Academy product.
“With such a wealth of talent here in New South Wales, there are instances where players reach the end of our junior development pathway and need to seek opportunities elsewhere to get game time at the highest level,” Rapp said.
“Jack is a player that we invested in heavily [during his time in NSW] and has been someone we wanted to get back involved in our program for some time.
“I was glad we were able to come to an agreement with the Rebels and I’d like to thank them for the way they’ve conducted these negotiations.”
Rapp indicated that while this initial agreement was until the end of the 2020 Super Rugby season, he’d be working with Maddocks’ management about securing his services beyond that time.
“We’ve worked really hard to get Jack home for 2020 and would hope to see him here at the [NSW] Waratahs for a number of years to come.”
Maddocks will return to Eastern Suburbs for the 2020 Shute Shield.
