Will Jordan confirms return as All Blacks 'switch flipped' ahead of Springboks series opener at Ellis Park

Will Jordan is back in the All Blacks lineup for the first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park this weekend, having recovered from a back injury that ruled him out of New Zealand’s three tour matches against URC club sides. The 28-year-old, now the leading try-scorer in All Blacks history, says the squad’s mood has sharpened markedly as the Test series approaches.

“I feel like off the back of last week against the Bulls, there’s been a bit of a switch flipped, and the boys are excited to get into it, get stuck into the Test,” Jordan said on the All Blacks’ Inside the Black Jersey podcast.

Jordan acknowledged his preparation has not been ideal. A back complaint struck at the worst possible moment during a congested run of three games in eight days against provincial opposition, leaving him without any match minutes heading into the series. “In a perfect world, you would have some reps under your belt and build on combinations,” he said. “I just picked up a little bit of a back niggle at an unfortunate time. It was right smack bang in the middle of that. So, it was a bit disappointing not to have a crack against the URC sides.”

Despite the setback, Jordan was quick to credit the wingers who covered for him, noting that several squad members had already been forced to fly home through injury. “The good news is we have plenty of wingers over here, and the boys have been playing really well. I’m grateful to still be over here.”

The All Blacks’ time in South Africa has also given the squad a broader appreciation of the environment they are stepping into. “The boys have really enjoyed the last two weeks, having our feet on the ground, feeling the lifestyle and the passion for rugby over here, and also getting a few reps against their style of play,” Jordan said.

With four Tests in the series, Jordan is clear-eyed about the weight of the opening fixture. Playing at altitude at Ellis Park against the world champions, he says the squad is treating the game as a standalone final rather than the first instalment of a longer campaign.

“It’s a massive difference, obviously going to Cape Town down 0-1 as opposed to being up 1-0. So, you’ve really just got to have a lens on this week, not worry too much about what’s beyond that and treat it as a bit of a final in a way. It’s all chips in for this weekend and trying to get a job done.”

New Zealand go into the series understanding the scale of the challenge. “We understand the South Africans and what they bring, how challenging it’ll be at altitude at Ellis Park,” Jordan added. “What a place to be — we’re excited about that and testing ourselves against the best.”