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Will Jordan admits to a try-scoring 'work-on'
By Jon Newcombe
Having overtaken the late, great Jonah Lomu in the All Blacks’ try-scoring charts, Will Jordan has experienced crossing the whitewash many, many times.
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Thirty-eight tries in 41 Tests – many against the top teams in the world – tells you all you need to know about his prowess as a finisher.
However, the 26-year-old’s teammates believe he’s still to perfect one aspect of his game, despite having had plenty of practice – his dive over the line.
Speaking to RWC 2003 winner and TNT Sports commentator Lawrence Dallaglio in an interview on RugbyPass TV, Jordan joked: “The boys give me a grief for having a pretty poor dive, for the amount of tries that I have scored, so it is a bit of a work-on.”
Still in the prime of his life and scoring at a phenomenal rate of nearly a try a game, Jordan is well on course to overtake Doug Howlett’s all-time record of 49 tries for the All Blacks.
Becoming the first All Black to score a half-century to tries or surpassing Lomu’s tally is not something he’s ever stopped to think about, though.
“I’ve always just tried to really work hard on my understanding of the game and work out where the ball is going to go and finish off a few plums (tries).
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“For me, I am just trying to focus on having a long career in the black jersey and I think being able to play for a long period time will influence that sort of thing.
“I’ve really enjoyed over the last few weeks getting some opportunities at full-back, and the slightly different role that you have to play there.”
Jordan’s most recent try against Italy came from full-back rather than on the wing, where he first started out, and it’s a switch that he’s fully on board with as his game matures from an out-and-out try machine to a vital cog in the All Blacks’ back-three with and without the ball.
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“I think I have always enjoyed fullback and probably the more opportunity and responsibility you have got in the game,” he said.
“As I was first coming through, it was great to play on the wing and just kind of being able to express yourself and worry about your role a bit.
“But I think as I have gotten older, as I have got more experience, being involved with the strategy and how you get the team around the park, defensively, communicating more at the back, is the stuff that I have enjoyed.
“Positions are pretty interchangeable but at the moment I am enjoyed the added responsibility you kind of have from the back.”
Great winger. Put him back there please as we have a lot of 15s with 15s skillsets.
Will is a fine player and is a constant danger to the opposition. NZ could do with a few more of his ilk.