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Will Jordan’s frank take when asked to explain All Blacks’ selection call
By Finn Morton
Before the All Blacks’ second Test against the Springboks earlier this year, Will Jordan sat down in one of the more scenic interview locations this writer has ever seen. As tortoises roamed the grounds in the green gardens out behind the team hotel, Jordan prepared for an interview.
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It hadn’t been announced to the public just yet but Jordan was about to start at fullback in a Freedom Cup decider at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium. The try-scoring phenomenon had almost exclusively been used on the wing at Test level, but change was just around the corner.
Jordan had only started one other Test in the No. 15 jumper before that clash in Cape Town, and that was last year’s thrilling Test between the All Blacks and Wallabies in Dunedin. In every other appearance, the All Black has either started on the wing or come off the pine.
Most fans have long held a desire to see Jordan move into the fullback role on a full-time basis, but it’s not hard to see why Ian Foster erred on the side of caution during the former coach’s reign in charge. If something isn’t broken, there’s no need to fix it.
At just 26 years of age, Jordan has already made history by becoming the equal-most prolific try scorer at a single Rugby World Cup after crossing for eight last year. To this day, Jordan has almost scored a try for every Test – currently boasting a record of 35 tries in 37 Tests.
With a knack of finishing tries on the wing, this selection does make a lot of sense. When asked to explain why international coaches have seen him as more of a winger, even Jordan himself acknowledged, “It’s just the way it’s gone.”
“When I first came into the team, we had a lot of depth at fullback and we still do now. The likes of Beaudy (Barrett), Damian (McKenzie), Jordie (Barrett) a couple of years ago,” Jordan told RugbyPass in Cape Town in September.
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“(Coach Ian) Fossie in particular liked me on the wing and being able to just roam around and play pretty freely and back my instincts. I guess they had a bit of success in that space which kept me there.
“At the same time, I’ve still always been training and across the fullback roles, so I’m ready to come to that if needed. I just put it down to the depth we’ve had in that position and finding a way to get onto the park despite that.”
When new coach Scott Robertson came into the All Blacks’ environment, that’s when fans tipped Jordan to finally move to fullback. But, ‘Razor’ Robertson long kept Jordan on the edge as others were instead given opportunities out the back.
Stephen Perofeta started the first two Tests of the year against England before Beauden Barrett got a run against Fiji in San Diego. Jordan was injured during those Tests, to be fair, but still featured as a winger upon his return for The Rugby Championship.
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While Jordan got a run against the Boks in Cape Town, the 26-year-old was supposed to return to the wing for the opening Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney. But, with Beauden Barrett a late withdrawal due to illness, the Tasman Mako and Crusaders fullback got a chance.
Jordan was very, very good against the Wallabies.
The All Black scored the opening try in Bledisloe I inside the opening couple of minutes. Then, a week later, Jordan went nuclear with more than 160 running metres at Wellington’s Sky Stadium. While it seems New Zealand may have found their fullback, that’s not exactly official.
Jordan has been included in the All Blacks’ squad for their upcoming end-of-year tour. With Beauden Barrett another strong contender to start at fullback, it’ll be interesting to see what coach Robertson does against the likes of England, Ireland and France.
Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)
With all due respect to the Wallabies they're the tenth best team in the world and leave large gaps in their defence for someone with express pace to run into.
Jordan was always going to look fantastic against the tenth best side. I was impressed when he powered into contact and busted through for his try.
However we are all waiting for Jordan to show he's capable of currently winning us decisive matches in cauldron, physically heavy games. He finished a brilliant break by Richie against Ireland but he needs to be the creator.
He's getting a dream run at the moment as the selectors pick guys considerably smaller than he is in the Allblacks squad to challenge him for the fullback position and even a reserve Crusader in the NZ fifteen that's done nothing and will be nothing.
Zarn Sullivan is a huge oversight at the moment and Payton Spencer will arrive on the scene shortly, both bigger men.
Jordan needs to be consistently available for selection and break open the top defences himself like Christian Cullen and if he cannot then we need a fullback who can.
World cup cycles and injuries won't be kind to Jordan. He will be 30 at the next world cup and realistically won't last through to 34 at this level with the alternatives we have and new blood.
He did it to SA last year as well.
Somebody hasn't been watching him for a long time. It's been a minute since he last played fullback (I think 2023 SRP).
Just wait, he is absolutely electric. He might not be great against kick chase defenses like SA, but he really shines against systematic teams like Ireland and England, who are nothing without their systems. During those games, he often outshines his opposite number.
Really, WJ just needs a 10 who can help create chances with him.