All Blacks v Australia: Will Jordan gets Scott Robertson’s stamp of approval as first-choice defender

First he missed the 2-0 series win against England and the win over Fiji in San Diego. When he finally returned, he was placed on the wing rather than his preferred spot at the back.

Only the need for change following the loss to South Africa in Johannesburg convinced Robertson to roll the dice in Cape Town, having mostly relied on Beauden Barrett at full-back.

And while that move didn’t stop the All Blacks from losing the Freedom Cup, Barrett’s illness in Sydney gave Jordan another chance – which he was happy to seize with both hands.

When the All Blacks ended their winning streak in the capital in Wellington, Jordan was once again on top. Since 2019, the All Blacks’ full-back spot has shifted from the traditional number 15 role to a secondary playmaker in support of the front five.

Sir Steve Hansen’s system, which saw Barrett move to full-back to accommodate Richie Mo’unga, was largely continued by Ian Foster after Jordie Barrett was deemed best suited in midfield.

But in Wellington, Jordan was a reminder of what a full-back who wants to run first can do. Aside from one attempt, Jordan ran 162 yards with the ball in hand. The next best score of any player on either side was 90 from Caleb Clarke.

And even if his striking game is significantly worse compared to a Barrett or McKenzie, he is probably the All Blacks’ deadliest asset with the ball in his hand.

“He created a lot,” Robertson said. “When he gets the ball in his hands, his angle changes, his stride, he had a lot of players [beaten] with the way he moved his feet.

“I’m really happy for Will. He owned it and took advantage of his opportunities.”

In this day and age, Jordan won’t have a complete stranglehold on the full-back position as long as European teams have an aerial burst game that the All Blacks need to keep up with.

But as opponents look to beat the All Blacks at their own game, Jordan will undoubtedly be the man Robertson trusts most.

Playing at full-back will also open up another opportunity for Jordan, giving him the chance to become the All Blacks’ top scorer, if not all Test rugby scorers.

His result against the Wallabies in Wellington increased Jordan’s record to 35 tries in 37 Tests, simplified to one try every 0.95 games.

Doug Howlett holds the record for most tries for the All Blacks (49 in 62 Tests). And while Jordan’s rate of averaging one try per Test has fallen under Ian Foster, he has more than enough time on his side to overtake not only Howlett but also Japan’s Daisuke Ohata (69 in 58 Tests).

“He has a good success rate,” said captain Scott Barrett. “I guess there’s still a long way to go.

“He knows where the line is,” Robertson joked.

Alex Powell is online sports editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016 and previously worked for Newshub and 1News.