1
‘Wasn’t hesitant’: Why Will Jordan should be the All Blacks’ fullback
All Blacks and Crusaders outside back Will Jordan “didn’t really miss a beat” as he made his highly anticipated return to Super Rugby Pacific last weekend.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jordan missed the All Blacks’ end-of-season tour with the All Blacks last year, and was also ruled out of the opening 10 rounds of the Super Rugby season with an inner-ear issue.
Fans, pundits and retired greats regularly speculated about when Jordan could return for the Crusaders – but every week, his name was omitted from the team sheet.
Well, until last Thursday.
When the Crusaders named their team to play the Western Force in round 11, Jordan was included in the starting XV at fullback.
Jordan setup teammate Leicester Fainga’anuku for two tries, and also ran for an incredible 137 metres from nine carries. The 26-year-old wasn’t just great on Saturday – in truth, he was sensational.
Rugby World Cup winning fullback Mils Muliaina praised the returning All Black for his performance after spending a “long time” on the sidelines.
“He’s been out for a long, long time,” Muliaina said on The Breakdown. “Didn’t go on the end-of-year tour but it almost seemed like he didn’t really miss a beat.
ADVERTISEMENT
“That long pass that we’ve just seen in the opener there, that is something that we haven’t sort of seen in his game.
Welcome back Will Jordan! 👏
Jordan sets up Leicester Fainga’anuku for this @crusadersrugby try 💪#CRUvFOR #SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/BMaeJr5XYJ
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) May 6, 2023
“The confidence to be able to do that considering that he has had, and also not really knowing and being unsure about what injury he did have.”
Jordan was sensational for the champion Crusaders at Orangetheory Stadium, as he showcased his elite skill and brilliance in the No. 15 jersey.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was the type of performance that any player would love to replicate – and Jordan did it after a significant time out of the game.
While Jordan may have only played one game this season, Jeff Wilson believes the Crusader should play out the back for the All Blacks later this year.
“He wasn’t hesitant at one stage, or at any stage during that game,” former All Black Jeff Wilson said.
“He took contact like he’s taken contact before, he looked like he was confident, understood his role, he looked like a fullback.
“All of a sudden I write down another name and go, ‘come on mate, just one more week, one more week.’
“The Crusaders chances have significantly improved with him on the field.
“If he stays healthy, if he stays fit playing fullback for that side, their chances of winning this competition are better than they have been all season.
“He’s an All Black fullback.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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 👍
1 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 commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments