Will Jordan three tries from All Blacks record as ex-teammate backs Italy demolition

Will Jordan arrives in Wellington this weekend sitting on 47 All Blacks tries, three short of Doug Howlett’s all-time record of 49, with former teammates and analysts backing him to make history against Italy.

Jordan moved past Joe Rokocoko, Julian Savea and Christian Cullen in the all-time rankings with a two-try performance against France in Christchurch, also pulling clear of Beauden Barrett in the process. The 28-year-old now carries a strike rate of one try per game across his 32 Tests on the wing, while adding 11 tries in 16 starts at fullback.

“Will’s back to try-scoring; he’ll be on 50 soon,” James Parsons said on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod. “He’ll get three against Italy.”

Parsons’ co-analyst Bryn Hall, who played alongside Jordan at the Crusaders during the club’s dominant Scott Robertson era before moving to Japan four seasons ago, was equally emphatic that Jordan’s prolific finishing is no accident.

“I’ve been very lucky to be in camp with him — all of it comes down to effort and work off the ball. Very similar to Billy Slater, those first three steps on both sides of the ball are very important to how Will is able to get into those positions,” Hall said. “But he’s also just got a knack, an IQ for reading the play really well. Long may it continue for the All Blacks.”

Jordan had spent the bulk of the past two seasons at fullback under Robertson’s All Blacks tenure, but returned to the right wing against France. At the Crusaders, he has scored 49 tries in 73 games, the vast majority of those appearances coming at fullback.

Confidence in Jordan’s record bid is bolstered by the All Blacks’ attacking display in their first Test under new head coach Dave Rennie. Hall and Parsons both highlighted New Zealand’s efficiency at the breakdown — generating quick ball at 83 per cent of rucks — and praised the team’s willingness to keep attacking even when fatigued and with the result in the balance.

“Why would you not have confidence in the game plan? It’s in our DNA to want to hold onto the ball, make offloads, make linebreaks, play what we see in front of us,” Hall said. Both analysts concluded that Rennie has quickly earned the trust of the playing group, with the squad embracing the expansive style he has installed.