The All Blacks who inspired Will Jordan’s incredible rise
All Black wing Will Jordan has taken the Rugby World Cup by storm. Jordan sits among legendary giants of international rugby as a try-scoring phenom on the cusp of unprecedented greatness.
If you ask aspiring All Blacks in New Zealand who their favourite players are, chances are they’ll rattle off names like Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett and of course Will Jordan.
Jordan, 25, has drawn level with legends Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea for the most tries scored at a single Rugby World Cup with eight.
But the All Black can go one step further in this weekend’s final against the Springboks. The electric outside back can surpass all-time greats by becoming the most prolific try scorer in a single tournament.
Jordan can make history against the Boks, and some may consider him to be the world’s best player if the All Blacks go on to hoist the Webb Ellis Cup on Saturday evening. But just like those kids back in New Zealand, even Jordan has heroes.
“As a young man, Dan Carter was probably my main idol growing up. To get to know him a little bit over the past year or so has been pretty cool,” Jordan said on Sunday.
“From a back-three or wing point of view, guys like Joe Rokocoko, Ben Smith, Jules [Julian Savea], Daggy [Israel Dagg] are all guys I have taken a lot from.
“It’s cool to be able to follow in their footsteps and achieve a few things because certainly, the wing position over the years for the ABs has been pretty prolific, with some great players. So it’s humbling to be alongside those guys.”
Playing in a Rugby World Cup semi-final for the first time last Friday, Jordan stole the show with a glorious hat-trick against a valiant Los Pumas outfit.
The first two tries were pretty simple, but Jordan’s third and final score was anything but. From a set-piece play inside New Zealand’s 22, Jordan broke through the Argentine defence with blistering speed.
With plenty of work to do, Jordan finished off the incredible solo score with a clever chip-and-chase. The wing beat two Pumas defenders to score the All Blacks’ seventh and final try of the night.
“I ended up getting drug-tested last night actually so there was a bit of a process involved with that, which took a bit of gloss off it. But on the bus on the way back, the music committee was on fire playing some good tunes. The boys were singing along, enjoying the bus trip back to the hotel,” Jordan added.
“We certainly took last night to reflect on where we are at the moment and how we are going. It’s nice to be able to have a day to do that and then later this afternoon, tomorrow and Monday, really start switching into the English or the Boks.”
That third and final try was a historic score for Jordan in more ways than one. It wasn’t just a significant World Cup score in the context of the tournament of history.
Incredibly, Jordan has scored 31 tries in 30 Tests for the All Blacks.
“I’m not one to check numbers. I’ve always liked the support play, being in the frame and reading the game scenarios. Being able to do that is what I review on and hold my hat to. It’s not so much linked to scoring tries because you get a few like last night where you just catch it and dive over.
“It is more about involvements in the game, trying to pop up and give us an extra number in attack. It’s always cool to dive over and score tries but it is not the main marker I use around how I’m going.”
Comments on RugbyPass
wel the crusaders were beaten by a queensland reds side that hadnt beaten them at home since 1999 and queensland reds partied like it was 1999
4 Go to commentsHard to disagree with the 5 points - with the exception that Wilson should be a squad member but, depending on the other loose forward selections, is not yet a shoo-in. McReight is. Aussie is looking a lot better this year and JS has some selection options. Also, Havili’s tendency to get caught, charged down is also a liability at times but he seemed focused (mostly) and is definitely a consideration for utility back-up. Still feel Reihana is a better prospect at 1st five for Saders.
4 Go to commentsYeah nah, still not sure on Havili tbh. Even though I’m a Crusaders fan through and through I’d be stunned if Razor considers him after seeing some of the stunning talent coming through up North.
4 Go to commentsThink it was a great defensive performance by Northampton. They didn't have stage fright in the first half, the Nienaber defense smothered them. They limited Leinster to 15-3 in the first half. It could have been over by then. A great try from Leinster in the start of the second half looked to have sealed it. But Byrne missed another conversion. Northampton started trying little kicks behind the Leinster wingers. Leinster messed one and Smith brilliantly made the conversion. Leinster decided to tighten the game after Byrne missed a straight forward penalty. A few errors got NH into the 22 and they scored and converted with a few minutes left. Another brilliant steal from Lawes saw NH have a final attack which was turned over by Conan. A classic semi final. World record attendance of 82,300. Leinsters 3 week preparation warranted for this one.
1 Go to commentsJust came back from the game and the atmosphere was amazing. Players stayed afterwards for more than a hour to sign stuff and take photos with fans. Great day out.
5 Go to commentsA great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
5 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
5 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
5 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
5 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
5 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
238 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
90 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
20 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments