Crusaders shut Will Jordan down for season, All Blacks opener also in doubt

The Crusaders will contest their Super Rugby Pacific title defence without the services of All Blacks star Will Jordan after a re-aggravation of the fullback’s calf injury.

Jordan returned to the field for the Crusaders last weekend after six weeks on the sidelines rehabbing the calf issue, but left the contest after 71 minutes on the field. Following the match, coach Rob Penney confirmed there was concern Jordan had re-injured the calf, and that suspicion was officially confirmed on Thursday.

A post to the Crusaders’ social media channels was captioned “2026 has come to an end for Will Jordan.”

The update read: “Will Jordan sustained a calf injury against the Chiefs on Friday 22 May. His anticipated return to play is 4-6 weeks, ruling him out for the remainder of Super Rugby Pacific.”

Team Form

Last 5 Games

49 - 12

52 - 31

47 - 14

36 - 32

36 - 20

60 - 5

57 - 21

66 - 12

47 - 14

45 - 28

4

Wins

4

1

Streak

3

29

Tries Scored

36

37

Points Difference

129

2/5

First Try

4/5

1/5

First Points

4/5

3/5

Race To 10 Points

4/5

The Super Rugby Pacific final is four weeks away, suggesting a return wouldn’t be entirely out of the question strictly from the given timeline, but considering it’s a re-injury after a considerable period of rest and rehab, it appears the club are eager to play it safe and shut the star down for the remainder of the season.

The timeline also puts Jordan’s inclusion in the opening All Blacks Test of the year in doubt, with the Nations Championship beginning exactly six weeks from the date Jordan suffered the re-aggravation. That first Test sees the All Blacks host France in Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium. The following week, the All Blacks will be in Wellington to face Italy, and Dave Rennie will be hoping at the very least that he can call on Jordan’s services for the All Blacks’ third Test of July against Ireland at Eden Park.

While Jordan has set the rugby world alight with his finishing prowess, with one of the elite strike-rates in the Test arena, this is far from his first rodeo when it comes to injuries.

The start of the 28-year-old’s international career was affected by an inner-ear issue that caused migraines and complicated air travel. Then, a shoulder injury required surgery and sidelined Jordan for the entirety of the 2024 Super Rugby season, and a knee injury was overcome just in time for last year’s playoff run.

Former Wales international Johnny McNicholl was starting in Jordan’s place during his first calf injury, while Chay Fihaki also returned from injury against the Chiefs and can cover the backfield for the Crusaders.

The Crusaders finish the 2026 round-robin hosting the Hurricanes this week, with the game to be played in front of a fourth-straight sell-out crowd at One New Zealand Stadium.