'Serious shift': All Blacks MOTM reflects on 17-point Ellis Park triumph

The All Blacks‘ leading try-scorer in Test matches, Will Jordan, has reflected on their important 17-point victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park.

Jordan, who claimed a double in Johannesburg and also the man of the match award, helped add the finishing touches to two promising All Blacks attacks.

The All Blacks were much improved in the second half, specifically in the scrum, where George Bower, Fletcher Newell, and Asafo Aumua added much-needed impact for Dave Rennie’s side.

Speaking to Sky Sport post-match, Jordan said the whole squad “dug deep”.

“It means everything,” Jordan said after full time.

“Serious shift of 80 minutes, love the way our boys just dug deep. Some guys playing here against the Springboks for the first time, got a taste of what it’s like.”

But the All Blacks winger isn’t getting ahead of himself, adding that the group understands it’s the first Test of a four-match series.

“Extremely proud of our whole group. We realise it’s just one of four, but an awesome start to us for the series.”

“Test footy, just about absorbing pressure and then being able to turn yours into points. I thought in the first half we were able to really just withstand a real Springbok onslaught.

“And then the second half just had enough moments to come over the top.”

Replacement loosehead prop, Bower, said that the experience at Ellis Park is something he’ll never forget.

“Once that whistle blew and it registered that we’d won the test match here at Ellis Park, I just got down and first of all thanked the Lord,” Bower told Sky Sport.

“But then also the realisation when the boys started hugging me and congratulating each other. “And it’s not an easy place to win; Ellis Park is this fortress of South Africa, and you’re playing at altitude, and you have everything against you.

When reflecting on the game, Bower said the most pleasing thing was that the whole squad was calm and trusted their instincts during the contest.

“But what I liked about tonight is the boys stayed tight as a 23. We got the main messages that we needed every time we got the ability to connect, and it kind of paid off towards the end there.

“And we just trusted our systems and trusted each other, and that’s a huge part of it.”

Looking ahead to how they will celebrate, the reserve prop is already planning the songs of choice in the changing room.

“We’ll play the guitar, we’ll probably give it to Rens, and he’ll probably play for a few hours.

“But then that’s one game of the four that we’ve got, so we move on, and we look forward to the next one.”