Will Jordan. Photo: Jeremy Ward/Photosport
Wallabies v All Blacks
Kick-off: 10:45pm Saturday 4 October
Optus Stadium, Perth
Live blog updates on RNZ
Will Jordan was a handy cricketer growing up, playing in the Christchurch Boys' High First XI, but gets to raise his bat for 50 tests for the All Blacks instead this weekend. Jordan's incredible try scoring strike rate has been the constant theme of his career - he has now racked up 43 and looks like he'll break Doug Howlett's all-time All Black record of 49.
He has become an automatic selection and one of the senior players in this All Black era, and said it's been "cool to bring up an awesome milestone this week for me".
"As a team, we're really motivated to get over here and back up last week's performance and get stuck into it."
In an interesting bit of symmetry, Jordan's debut came against the Wallabies back in 2020, which was also the last time the All Blacks tasted defeat in a Bledisloe Cup fixture. His contribution off the bench didn't last long as he left the field for an HIA, but since then he's been a part of 10 test wins in a row over the Wallabies.
Will Jordan scores a try. Photo: Marty Melville / www.photosport.nz
"You look back and things have gone pretty quick. I think once you sort of get to 20 or 30, then they roll over a bit quicker," he said.
"During that time, you learn a lot about test footy and what it takes...each week you've got to earn it."
The All Blacks will have to earn it against a Wallaby side that will be smarting from their 33-24 loss last weekend at Eden Park. Both teams have made a number of changes to their lineups, with Damian McKenzie starting at first five in place of the injured Beauden Barrett. Opposite him, the Wallabies have changed their 10 too, with Tane Edmed coming in for James O'Connor.
Cam Roigard celebrates his try with Damian McKenzie and Will Jordan. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
"Tane's a great player, obviously a very attacking player. He likes to throw the ball around a bit and the threats they offer all over the park…he's a threat with ball in hand and gets the team around the park really well," said McKenzie, who quickly added the age-old All Black disclaimer about being a team-focused mentality.
"I think for us, we can't just focus on that one person. There's a lot of threats throughout the whole park for them, so we'll have to keep our wits about us."
Seven of Jordan's 43 career tries have come against the Wallabies, including one in the last time they played in Perth. That game in 2021 ended in a 38-21 win for the All Blacks, which was in the middle of a nine-test win streak. Right now the All Blacks are struggling to put two wins together, with the importance of consistency not lost on McKenzie.
"The key thing for us is possession of the ball and making sure we're playing the right areas of the field," he said.
"We've got to be focused on nailing our stuff and making sure when we put a good performance in, we can back up. We haven't quite been able to do that for the last month or two, to back up that second game."
The All Blacks are currently second on the Rugby Championship standings and will require a win and a Springbok loss to the Pumas on Sunday morning to retake the title.
Team lists
Wallabies: 1. James Slipper, 2. Billy Pollard, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Will Skelton, 6. Tom Hooper, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Tane Edmed, 11. Filipo Daugunu, 12. Len Ikitau, 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14. Harry Potter, 15. Max Jorgensen
Bench: 16. Josh Nasser, 17. Tom Robertson, 18. Taniela Tupou, 19. Jeremy Williams, 20. Rob Valetini, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Josh Flook
All Blacks: 1. Tamaiti Williams, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett (c), 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Ardie Savea, 8. Peter Lakai, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Leicester Fainga'anuku, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Quinn Tupaea, 14. Leroy Carter, 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. George Bower, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Patrick Tuipulotu, 20. Wallace Sititi, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Rieko Ioane, 23. Ruben Love
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