Worcester academy rookie Max Stelling admits his show-stopping debut brought him instant fame but his move to one of Britain’s furthest outposts has kept his feet on the ground.
Stelling’s senior debut in the Amlin Challenge Cup ended with a 19-minute hat-trick in an 85-5 win over Spaniards Bizkaia Gernika. But since then Stelling has been given a dose of reality and joined rock bottom Championship side Jersey, and he believes it’s just the leveller he needed.
“I realise I’m always going to get questions about my debut – it’s always the first thing people tend to bring up,” he said. “But that’s part and parcel of it and I just answer the questions.
“I feel like I was just pretty lucky to be in the right place at the right time. I got in a good position in a few breaks and the game broke up in the last 20 minutes and I was able to get three tries.
“It was a great moment obviously and great for the family to see that but I haven’t got carried away with it at all or anything and I’m just concentrating on trying to make sure I get myself a contract at the end of the season.
“It’s a great move to Jersey for me in terms of my development and in terms of hopefully catching the eye of the Worcester guys and impressing them enough to get a new deal.
“I’ve got a one-year academy contract and obviously the aim is to get myself another contract and, hopefully, playing at Jersey can help.
“I’ve been involved with Worcester for a while but this year is my full proper contract and I’m loving it.”
Boarding school commitments at Old Swinford Hospital ensured when Stelling turned up for pre-season training this year at Worcester, he was something of an unknown quantity. He was unable to make regular evening training sessions but Stelling is anything but a late convert to rugby.
Despite dabbling with cricket and basketball it was only ever rugby that captured the imagination for Stelling who played for England Clubs and Schools last year.
He has played at full-back and in the centre but added: “I see myself as a centre. I’m not sure whether it’ll be at inside or outside but I just prefer it in there and that’s where I’d rather be.
“I think I lack that little bit of acceleration that you, maybe, need when you’re coming into the line from full-back.”
And while he’s gone from the centre of attention on debut to life on the fringes in his Jersey hotel room, Stelling insists he would not have it any other way.
“No it’s been great since I have been here,” he said. “The lads have been getting me involved and there are a few of us staying in the same hotel.
“Championship rugby is somewhere between academy stuff and first-team Premiership rugby at Worcester so I think it’s a great chance for me to keep improving.
“When I first started with pre-season in the summer it was incredibly hard, especially the strength and conditioning work and all the running.
“But you get used to it and acclimatise and I’m feeling good and looking forward to my time with Jersey.
“I’ll be back at home for Christmas and then the club will make a decision about whether I’ll go back to Jersey or whatever in the New Year.”
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