The Next Nehe Part Two: Crusaders fullback Will Jordan
For All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen, the make-up of his 31-man squad for the sport’s global showpiece event in Japan will, for the most part, be solidified.
Most players who have featured frequently for the national side this year should feel a degree of confidence that they will take part in the tournament in 10 months’ time, which means there should be little room for alteration in terms of personnel at this late stage of this current World Cup cycle.
However, as proven by the All Blacks in the last World Cup cycle, there is always room for a few late applications in the final few months leading into the tournament.
Nehe Milner-Skudder headlined a trio of rookies – which included Waisake Naholo and Codie Taylor – that were named in Hansen’s 2015 World Cup squad following a series of spell-binding performances for the Hurricanes throughout his debut Super Rugby season.
After identifying Chiefs rookie Etene Nanai-Seturo as a potential bolter earlier in the week, our second prospect profiled is Crusaders fullback Will Jordan.
How Will Jordan did not make his Super Rugby debut with the Crusaders in 2018 will forever be a mystery given the ample amounts of quality he possesses.
The former New Zealand under-20 star had a great campaign for Tasman in 2017, but Crusaders coach Scott Robertson wasn’t convinced enough to give the fullback a crack in this year’s Super Rugby ahead of the likes of David Havili and Israel Dagg.
If it was convincing that Robertson needed, then he should look no further than Jordan’s performances for the Mako in the this year’s Mitre 10 Cup.
The 20-year-old was in the sort of form that saw him nominated for world under-20 player of the year last year, and it would be no surprise if he claimed the Duane Monkley Medal for provincial player of the season at the New Zealand Rugby Awards next month.
He was undoubtedly Tasman’s most influential weapon on attack, which is no mean feat given breadth of talent within the province’s backline.
Whether it was through his outrageous pace, sensational footwork or solidity under the high ball, Jordan had opposition defences quivering in their boots at the prospect of trying to contain the youngster’s attacking exploits.
Many sides failed to do so, with Jordan dotting down nine times in 2018, and that is exactly why he could very well be in the reckoning for an All Blacks call-up by the time the World Cup rolls around next year.
His capacity to splinter opposition defences with ball in hand is something that Robertson surely cannot ignore for a second season running at the Crusaders, and if given the chance to work his magic in Super Rugby, then calls for national selection seems inevitable.
However, Jordan faces the same dilemma as Etene Nanai-Seturo in that the queue for entry into the All Blacks squad as an outside back is extensive.
Rieko Ioane, Ben Smith, Damian McKenzie, Waisake Naholo, Jordie Barrett, Nehe Milner-Skudder and George Bridge all featured for the All Blacks in 2018, and trying to dislodge any of them from their standing in the national set-up will be immensely difficult.
Chuck in the ambitions of out-of-favour All Blacks and other promising candidates such as Havili, Dagg, Matt Duffie, Solomon Alaimalo, and Ben Lam, and the task for challengers like Jordan to make the cut for Japan 2019 appears almost ludicrous.
What falls in Jordan’s favour though, in the same way it does for Nanai-Seturo, is that the make-up of the All Blacks’ back three is still anyone’s guess, with only Ioane, Smith and McKenzie the certainties to make the side.
If Jordan can make a compelling case for selection in the first half of 2019 in the same way that he impressed for Tasman and the national under-20 side, then there is no reason to doubt that he could propel himself into contention and snatch one of the final outside back
spots in the same way Milner-Skudder did back in 2015.
Learn more about some of the Japanese cities hosting World Cup matches next year with our exclusive city guides:
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
80 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI 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.
13 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.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 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?
13 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?
44 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 comments