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Watch: Will Jordan ‘brilliance’ sets up opening try against Boks

Will Jordan of New Zealand makes a break during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa Springboks at Mt Smart Stadium on July 15, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

The All Blacks looked like a team possessed during the opening 10 minutes of their Rugby Championship clash on Saturday, but one player stole the show.

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Before the opening whistle, the New Zealanders issued their challenge with a spinetingling rendition of Kapa o Pango. The haka was passionate, intense and captivating, and set the tone for the Test.

Led by captain Same Cane, the All Blacks appeared ready – and that proved true early on.

From minute one, the hosts were playing a thrilling style of play. The All Blacks haven’t looked that good in quite some time.

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But out of the players in black, one superstar was especially bright.

Electric winger Will Jordan, who was playing his first Test match of the year after missing out on the trip to Argentina, had a few game-breaking carries early on.

Every time he touched the ball, it looked like something was about to happen.

Eventually, that proved true.

Just over four minutes into the match, and on the ninth phase of the All Blacks’ attacking onslaught, Jordan caught the ball over on the right edge.

After receiving an ambitious cut-out pass from fullback Beauden Barrett, Jordan attempted to beat Springboks defender Willie le Roux with sheer pace.

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But after being taken to the ground with a desperate tackle, Jordan had just enough time to release the ball and have another go. That was a stroke of genius.

Jordan got right back up and beat two South African defenders, including inside centre Damian de Allende, before running deep into the visitors’ 22.

The fullback then set up veteran Aaron Smith for the All Blacks’ opener with a simple draw and pass.

In the background of a replay, you could see Jordan and Beauden Barrett celebrating the effort. As Sky Sport NZ commentator Grant Nisbell said, it was a moment of “brilliance” from the Crusaders’ outside back.

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The score in the 5th minute sent the Auckland crowd into a frenzy, and there was more to come.

By the 20-minute mark, the All Blacks had raced out to a 17-nil lead.

Following a successful penalty goal attempt from flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, rampaging flanker Shannon Frizell ran over le Roux for the New Zealanders’ second try of the night.

Again, the All Blacks haven’t looked that good in quite some time.

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Comments

8 Comments
r
rod 494 days ago

Could not fault the referee & how many teams could withstand that first 20 mins withstand that start at that level ?

f
finn 495 days ago

I can't wait for the boers to start explaining why the result was actually all the ref's fault

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NB 34 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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