Faster and stronger, Brumbies fullback Jesse Mogg now has higher goals in sight.
Scoring three tries in the opening two Super Rugby games, as well as setting up another in his team’s 30-13 win over the Melbourne Rebels, Mogg is quickly making a strong case for Wallabies selection.
It’s not just the tally of tries – just one short of his total season tally last year – but the manner of the five-pointers.
Mogg burnt off renowned Rebels speedster James O’Connor at AAMI Park in a similar fashion to the way he got outside another Wallabies flyer Digby Ioane in the Brumbies opening win over Queensland.
The 23-year-old, who only made his Super Rugby debut in 2012, credits Brumbies high performance director Dean Benton, who joined the organisation late in 2011, for his ability to now run a blistering 10.6 metres per second.
Benton has worked for a range of elite Australian sporting bodies, including Athletics Australia, the AIS and the Brisbane Broncos.
Genetics may also have something to do with it with his mother Kerry and an uncle, Josh Mogg, both former junior track champions.
“I’ve done a lot of work in the pre-season on my top end speed,” said Mogg, originally from Brisbane.
“Speed’s a major factor in our pre-season and everyone buys into it and we’re starting to see the results on the field.”
Mogg has also added 11 kilograms in the last three years to his still lanky frame and showed that strength when he busted a tackle to set up the Brumbies second try, scored by Clyde Rathbone.
While he has been included in a Wallabies training camp, he’s trying to stay focused on keeping the Canberra-based side on its winning way.
“I had some good games and some bad games last year,” Mogg said.
“This year I’m really working on my consistency for the Brumbies.
“If things come from that I will take the opportunity but my goal is to try to win as many games with the Brumbies.
Brumbies coach Jake White believed Mogg had something special.
“I think one thing about Jesse, he’s got something there that other players don’t have.
“He’s really quick, he’s got a great left boot.
“I think the more he appreciates how quick he is and the more he understands how good he is when he has a foot race, the better he’s going to become.”
Meanwhile, Rebels and Test five-eighth Kurtley Beale remained hopeful of facing his old side NSW next Friday night after suffering a shoulder injury.
He said his shoulder partially dislocated before popping back in and that it had happened twice previously without him missing any rugby.