Saturday, November 20, on the occasion of France-New Zealand, the French public will meet the latest UFO “made in New Zealand”: Will Jordan. In the vocabulary of Fabien Galthié, the word finisher designates, in a more classy way, the substitutes, supposed to “finish the matches”. In the All Blacks on the other hand, the term finisher rather designates the wingers, in charge of “finishing” the actions.
In this role, the selection has never lacked talent. From legend Jonah Lomu to Julian Savea via John Kirwan, Dough Howlett and Joe Rokocoko, world-class All Blacks wingers are legion. Will Jordan is the last representative.
Since the start of the Fall Tour, the Canterbury Crusaders player has subjected the nations of the North to what his southern counterparts already know. A hat-trick against the United States then two tries against Wales and Ireland, Will Jordan has already scored five times in three games. Enough to bring his total to seventeen tries in just twelve selections.
If he systematically occupies the position of three-quarter wing with the jersey of the Blacks, the native of Christchurch is above all a training rear. It was in this position that he was crowned under-twenty world champion in 2017. It is also in this position that he plays in a club, with the Crusaders. Arriving in the New Zealand province in 2018, Jordan stacked scoresheets in his first season. Substitute in the 2019 Super Rugby final against the Argentinian province of the Jaguares, he entered the game to win his first club title in his inaugural season with the pro.
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The following season, his good performances in Super Rugby Aotearoa (reserved for New Zealand teams because of the Covid) opened the doors to the national team. After only five short minutes of play for his first selection against Australia, on November 7, 2020, he scored a brace in 15 minutes during his second cap, against Argentina, three weeks later.
Become All Black at 22, Jordan confirmed his new status as soon as he returned to the league. The following season, he scored 19 tries in 19 matches, selection and championship combined. Last July, during a test match against Tonga, he accomplished the feat of registering five tries in the same match. Only his compatriot Marc Ellis did better in 1995, crossing the goal line six times. After his team’s victory in Cardiff, coach Ian Foster was full of praise for his winger, whom he considers to be “mature”.
“He’s new to the All Blacks, I know he scored a lot of tries and it’s true that some of them were against weaker oppositions, but if you look at his game he’s just getting better.”, he told our colleagues at Rugby Pass. In twelve selections, Jordan has only been silent on two occasions.
Will Jordan had a day out in Washington pic.twitter.com/6poKkdBar1
– All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 25, 2021
If he shines with his burst of speed and his availability in the three-quarter line, Will Jordan denotes in the recent tradition of overpowered New Zealand wingers. This fall, it was primarily in a role of end-of-line finisher that he stood out.
But his specialty remains the kicks to follow to lob his vis-à-vis. This is how he scored his last two tries, against Wales and then Ireland. Melvyn Jaminet and the Third Blue Curtain are warned. Named by World Rugby for the title of revelation of the year 2021, Jordan could add one more line to his record, hoping that the one mentioning the victories against the XV of France remains blank.