Jake Gordon ignores overseas market to re-sign with Australian rugby
With Nick Phipps heading overseas and Will Genia being chased by several foreign clubs, Australian rugby has made a key retention at halfback.
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Jake Gordon did not even entertain overseas offers before re-signing with Australian rugby for another two years.
The Wallabies and Waratahs halfback is a key retention, with Nick Phipps heading to England after the World Cup and Will Genia also weighing up an overseas move if contract negotiations break down with Rugby Australia.
Gordon, 25, is keen to take long-term hold of both the Tahs and Wallabies’ No. 9 jerseys after re-signing until the end of the 2021 season.
“I didn’t even need to look [overseas], I made it pretty clear from early I wanted to stay with the Waratahs and Wallabies, I didn’t look elsewhere,” Gordon said.
“I was just really happy here. I really like the direction of the club and I love the boys here at the Waratahs, I love the coaching staff. It was a pretty easy decision for me to stay here.
“It feels really good. I’ve said before it was a dream of mine from a young age to play for the Waratahs and Wallabies and to be able to do that is something really special and I’m happy to be signing on for another two years.
“I’ve really enjoyed Nick’s company over the last four years I’ve been here and we’ve really pushed each other really well and it’s an exciting time to really be able to lock down that No. 9 jersey.
“I’m looking to lock down that [Wallabies] No. 9 jersey but at the moment it’s really focusing on playing consistent rugby for the Waratahs and the rest will take care of itself.”
Gordon and Phipps have been mixing the starting halfback role for NSW so far this season, while Gordon revealed his main focus this season is on his pass.
“A few things I’ve focused on is the speed of my pass, that’s something I have been focusing on quite a bit over the last six months, that’s one of the keys at the moment,” Gordon said.
NSW is reeling from a shock loss to the Sunwolves last Friday, and take on a confident Blues team in Auckland this Saturday.
The Blues have won three straight games and jumped to third on the New Zealand conference, while NSW’s defeat followed by Melbourne’s win over Queensland saw them slip to second in the Australian conference.
“They’re a really creative team they’ve got a lot of dangerous ball carriers across the park,” Gordon said of the Blues.
“Their forward pack has a lot of ball carriers and out wide they are dangerous too.
“For us at the moment we’re really confident in our defence. For us it’s putting them under a lot of pressure, the same what we did against the Crusaders, make them play from deep and backing our defensive and really put them under pressure.”
Originally published as Jake Gordon ignores overseas market to re-sign with Australian rugby
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