Crusaders provide update on Will Jordan’s concerning knee injury

Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash between the Crusaders and Chiefs went from bad to worse for the home side in Christchurch, who lost star fullback Will Jordan to a concerning knee injury before conceding 32 unanswered points during the 35-19 defeat.

Jordan had scored seven tries in 10 appearances for the Crusaders this season before taking the field at Apollo Projects Stadium last weekend. After missing the entire 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season through injury, it had been a promising return to the competition for the All Black.

But whether Jordan would play the rest of the 2025 season became uncertain when the 27-year-old left the field in the 18^th minute of the round 13 derby. Jordan received medical attention before leaving the game, with one-Test All Black Dallas McLeod coming on off the bench.

The Crusaders have provided a recovery update on Jordan, with initial indications positive as the club expects the outside back “to play before the end of Super Rugby Pacific.” If that proves to be the case, Jordan’s return would come as a major boost to the team’s title hopes.

“Will Jordan suffered a medical ligament sprain on Saturday night against the Chiefs,” the Crusaders’ recovery update reads.

“The Crusaders medical team are unable to determine his return to play timeframe at this stage; they are gathering more information and will have an update later this week.

“However, initial indications are he will return to play before the end of Super Rugby Pacific competition.”

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When Jordan left the match, the Crusaders held a slender 7-nil lead after an early try to Tom Christie in the sixth minute. Scott Barrett and Antonio Shalfoon would also cross for first-half tries as the Crusaders ran out to a commanding 19-3 lead.

But the derby changed drastically on either side of the break, with Emoni Narawa scoring late in the first half, before Damian McKenzie and Leroy Carter crossed in quick succession to open the second term.

Almost suddenly, the Crusaders trailed their New Zealand rivals by one point, but that was only the beginning as the Chiefs ran away with it. McKenzie added another two penalty goals before Wallace Sititi burrowed over in the 73^rd minute.

The 16-point comeback win on enemy soil has the Chiefs sitting in first place, with games against Moana Pasifika and the Highlanders (away) still to come. As for the Crusaders, they’ll make the voyage across the ditch to play the NSW Waratahs this week.

After that, the Crusaders host the Highlanders before a blockbuster against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra on May 30.

“I thought the Chiefs deserved their victory,” coach Rob Penney said post-game.

“They dominated large facets of the game and puts us under a bit of pressure.

“Our response now is the critical piece. [We were] taught a bit of a lesson and how we respond to that now is going to be critical.

“I don’t necessarily think they’ve got a psychological advantage and we haven’t even contemplated what beyond next week looks like, because we’ve got a massive battle against the Waratahs to ensure we establish ourselves… at the top and we’re still masters of our own destiny in that regard.”