Analysis: The Crusaders' playbook with Will Jordan has unlimited home run potential
Tasman’s 20-year-old fullback Will Jordan has been elevated to the Crusaders’ starting line-up and he hasn’t missed a beat, bringing his form from Mitre 10 Cup with him into Super Rugby.
The emerging star gives the already-potent Crusader backline a breakaway threat with ‘home run’ potential from any set-piece platform, which showed against the Chiefs as he clocked up 98-metres on two line breaks, six defenders beaten and two tries, one of which came directly from set-piece.
The Crusaders attack has been gradually increasing the number of misdirection plays they are running off these platforms, having players ‘scram’ in multiple directions to create initial indecision.
Their lineout plays in the red zone, in particular, have evolved into a bamboozling range of strikes using the hooker on a ‘swing’ route after the throw and employing misdirection concepts out of the maul to create a lot of confusing animation for the defence.
These ‘smokescreens’ are freeing up space for damaging threats like Will Jordan.
This stack play from a scrum uses a double-bluff to put Jordan in an ocean of space down the middle by faking left, going right and coming back inside to prey on the Chiefs’ understrength back row. It’s a clever misdirection play designed to get mismatches between a fullback and loose forwards, illustrated below by St Michael’s College in Ireland.
The Crusaders ran the exact same play above, using a 2-2 split on either side with a 2-man stack directly behind the scrum containing Richie Mo’unga (10) and Will Jordan (15).
On this occasion, Richie Mo’unga is the first man in the stack to reveal his hand, pushing off to the blind side as Ere Enari (9) runs an 8-9 to the open side. Mo’unga’s dummy line will hopefully pull Chiefs halfback Brad Weber and members of the back row his way to create more isolation on the open side.
The stack causes issues with the pre-play defensive alignment of the Chiefs, with the first defenders on either side of the scrum defending space, not any particular man. On the open side, Damian McKenzie is positioned defending no one but space.
This can lead to two players taking the same man as they try to decipher which runners to take, which happens here as this play develops.
From the 8-9, Enari plays Ryan Crotty (12) to the open side and chases the ball on a wrap-line with Number 8 Whetu Douglas (8).
Only Lachlan Boshier (7) of the Chiefs has a decent break from the back of the scrum for the Chiefs. Taleni Seu (8) is still stationary which will create problems. As Boshier pushes wider in pursuit of Enari, he will only widen the gap for the incoming Jordan on the inside.
Boshier (7) and McKenzie (10) have both pursued Crotty while Jordan is able to explode onto the inside ball and expose the soft underbelly of the Chiefs’ back row.
He races away downfield before stepping inside the cover defence of Solomon Alaimalo and scores in the tackle of the next defender.
The damage Jordan can cause in open space was evident against the Queensland Reds on his starting debut, with his searing pace scorching the Suncorp turf in an impressive showing. The combination of his speed and line running nous adds another dimension to the Crusaders backline that has untold amounts of potential.
If there was a missing element to their backs, Jordan brings it. A hole-running fullback with burning speed, he will have a field day this season outside centre Jack Goodhue and playmakers like Richie Mo’unga when he is on the field.
He will have to compete in the rotation with David Havili, George Bridge, Manasa Mataele, Braydon Ennor, Israel Dagg, and Sevu Reece for game time, while 19-year-old Leicester Fainga’anuku and 20-year-old Ngani Punivai are age grade talents waiting to get a sniff in. The depth in the back three for the Crusaders is so good it should be illegal.
The Crusaders have gotten stronger this season with the introduction of their next generation of players, all of whom were produced through their system after being ID’d in various places. They all seem to have adapted to this level like fish to water, showing that this Crusaders’ dynasty still has a long runway ahead.
The addition of Will Jordan gives the Crusaders attack a dynamic fullback that increases the likelihood of any set-piece being a ‘one-phase’ strike, should they call plays with the intention of trying to score. With their shiny new toy in the 15 jersey, expect to see many more ‘home-run’ opportunities.
This is the last thing every other Super Rugby team trying to topple the back-to-back champions wanted to see, but the Crusaders have found new pieces to keep this team firing.
Brad Mooar ahead of Highlanders’ derby:
Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments