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He might not be getting the No 15 jersey he prefers, but a new licence to roam clearly sat well with Will Jordan on a standout return to the All Blacks on Saturday night.
After near 10 months since he last played a test, due to his migraine condition, the 25-year-old turned in quite the showing on the right wing in the 35-20 Rugby Championship win over the Springboks at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium.
Only, the dazzling display was far from restricted to the right wing, however, as Jordan popped up in full flight up the middle – a familiar sight when wearing Crusaders colours – consistently carving up the defensive line of the blitzed Boks.
After brilliantly setting up the opening try to Aaron Smith, Jordan also played a huge role in the second, to Shannon Frizell, before he also grabbed one himself, on a night where he racked up a game-high four clean breaks, a team-high 72 metres, and beat seven defenders, short of only Frizell’s whopping nine.
Having missed last year’s northern tour, then also been left out of the touring party for the opening-round win over Argentina in Mendoza, the electric attacker was most certainly keen to hit the ground running, and he didn’t disappoint.
Dave Rowland/Getty Images
Will Jordan put in a standout display in his return to test rugby on Saturday night.
“I just ultimately loved being back out there, loved the competition, I definitely missed it while I was away,” he said soon after his polished performance.
“There was a few nerves. I think when you’ve been away for a while there’s always those natural little jitters.
“[I was] just eager to try make an impact after so long away, so to be able to spot a couple of gaps and go through, it was a bit of a confidence-booster early on.
“Fozzie’s been keen for me to try get in the middle of the park as much as possible, even from the wing, so I was able to do that a couple of times.
“It’s just good of Foz to give me the licence to go do that, I’ve got a bit of experience in that role. Particularly when they kick and I’m getting back into the middle, it’s just looking for space.”
And with Beauden Barrett having silenced doubters with his two fine games at fullback this season, Jordan does indeed seem destined to stay in this roving right-wing role.
Remarkably, he has not started any of his 22 tests at fullback, with this now his 18th in the No 14, on a night where he kept his fantastic tryscoring-to-test ratio of 1:1, with a 22nd five-pointer coming courtesy of a call for Barrett to send a kick his way, and an, eventually, good finish.
Dave Rowland/Getty Images
Will Jordan goes in for his try in the All Blacks’ win over the Springboks at Mt Smart Stadium.
“It actually went straight into the lights, so I wouldn’t necessarily say completely under control, it was a bit of a juggle,” Jordan admitted.
“So it probably wasn’t my most clinical finish, but I’ll take the five points nonetheless.”
What has been clinical, Jordan noticed on return to the setup, is the All Blacks’ structure of their game, taking things up a notable level from their depths of despair this time last year, with the change in attack coach, he said, having a major bearing.
“I think Joe Schmidt’s been huge around just balancing our game up a little bit, with the kicking stuff, with his background from the northern hemisphere and how they play that game, has been great.
“I think we’ve got a clear identity around how we want to play, and it’s exciting for the boys.”
And the hope will now be that that excitement can ooze on a consistent basis from here till the end of the year for Jordan. Because, is there a worry he might not be up to playing every game due to the condition he’s been battling?
“I don’t know if it’s really that sort of case,” he said. “It’s not really an issue of on the field, to be honest, it’s just more about managing it kind of day-to-day.
“During Super Rugby I played, once I came back, seven of the last eight games, so I think I’ve had a pretty good run since we’ve been on top of it. So feeling confident about being able to be in the group week in and week out.
“I think I’m in a good place at the moment.”
And on the evidence of Saturday night’s rollicking return, every onlooker could only concur with that.
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