Young Crusaders star Will Jordan to move to Super Rugby rivals?
The Crusaders could lose young star Will Jordan to one of their fiercest rivals come the end of the season, according to a report from the Otago Daily Times.
The 21-year-old outside back has been in spectacular form for the reigning back-to-back champions in his debut Super Rugby season.
Although he is currently out of action due to a foot injury, the 2017 World Junior Player of the Year nominee has scored eight tries in eight appearances this year after missing the entire 2018 Super Rugby campaign due to injury.
He is one of many young, exciting outside backs within the Crusaders’ ranks, teaming up with the likes of George Bridge, David Havili, Braydon Ennor, Sevu Reece, Manasa Mataele, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Ngani Punivai to help catapult the Crusaders to the top of the Super Rugby standings as they eye a third successive title.
His sharp form, however, has reportedly made him a target for South Island rivals the Highlanders, who are preparing to undergo a mammoth exodus at the end of this year.
At least 11 key players have confirmed their exits from the franchise, with All Blacks Ben Smith, Luke Whitelock (both Pau), Waisake Naholo (London Irish), Liam Squire (NTT Red DoCoMo Hurricanes), Jackson Hemopo (Mitsubishi DynaBoars), Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes) and Elliot Dixon (Ricoh Black Rams) headlining the departures.
A further four players – Richard Buckman, Tom Franklin (both Kobe Steelers), Marty Banks (NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes) and Matt Faddes (Ulster) – will also be leaving, meaning some aggressive recruiting will be required by the Highlanders if they are to remain play-off contenders in 2020.
According to the ODT, Jordan is believed to be “in the sights of the Highlanders” in an acquisition that would help offset the departures of outside backs Smith, Naholo, Faddes and Buckman.
Given the extensive depth of quality in the Crusaders’ outside back stocks, game time could be hard to come by, even for someone as talented as Jordan, and with plenty of spaces opening up in the Highlanders’ starting XV, a shift south to guarantee playing time could be appealing for the former Christchurch Boys’ High School fullback.
If Jordan does move from Christchurch to Dunedin, he would link up with former schoolboy and New Zealand U20 teammate Josh McKay, the electric outside back who has been with the Highlanders since 2018 and has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Forsyth Barr Stadium until the end of next year.
Jordan could also be joined by current Crusaders teammate Mitch Hunt, who has been rumoured to make the shift south next year.
The 23-year-old first-five has been competing for a bench role at the Crusaders alongside one-test All Black Brett Cameron, with star playmaker Richie Mo’unga dominating game time in the starting lineup.
While current Highlanders pivot Josh Ioane has impressed in his first season as a starting first-five, there is a much higher chance of Hunt starting more regularly at the Highlanders than there is at the Crusaders while Mo’unga is there.
Banks’ imminent return to Japan at the end of this year frees up a space at fly-half for Hunt, who would compete with Ioane and injured North Harbour playmaker Bryn Gatland for the No. 10 jersey.
News of Jordan’s potential signing with the Highlanders caps off a busy week of transfer talk for the club.
The announcement of Lomax’s departure to the Hurricanes on Friday came just a day after the capture of current Sunwolves head coach, Japan assistant coach and former Highlanders first-five, assistant and head coach Tony Brown, who has returned to the franchise in a yet-to-be-determined assistant coaching role on a three-year deal.
In the wake of both announcements, Highlanders CEO Roger Clark said that player signings for next year would be made in the coming weeks.
“The Highlanders will announce a number of exciting newcomers in the coming weeks and will be in a position to largely finalise our squad over the next few months,” Clark said.
Many of the anticipated signings are expected to come from the New Zealand U20 side, with young All Blacks Sevens duo Jona Nareki and Scott Gregory among those rumoured to be joining the franchise.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team does not beat the ABs sadly
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
3 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.
55 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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 commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments