Will Jordan’s uncertain short-term future as he recovers from a calf injury presents new All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie with an immediate problem: Who to select at fullback for the first Test of the year a week on Saturday.
Jordan hasn't played since re-aggravating the leg in the Crusaders’ victory over the Chiefs in Christchurch on May 22. His start in the No.15 jersey was his first game since his original calf injury six weeks earlier.
He played no further part in Super Rugby and one of the All Blacks’ most lethal attackers is presumably now taking a more cautious approach to his return.
Jordan is also the only specialist fullback in the 34-man squad, although there are others with experience in the position, including all three first-fives Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie and Ruben Love, plus Hurricanes newcomer Josh Moorby, who is listed as an outside back.
If Rennie is selecting purely on form, he would probably pick Love at No.10 and Moorby at fullback, with either McKenzie or Barrett on the bench. Love, who has played five Tests, has reason to feel confident about a start given his form with the Super Rugby champions but the inexperienced Moorby will likely have to wait his turn.
McKenzie is probably the most likely to start over Barrett at the back due to his greater consistency this season but there is another potential solution for Rennie – one that may become increasingly tempting with the tour of South Africa approaching: Moving Jordie Barrett to the back.
One of the All Blacks’ major failings last year, apart from their general inconsistency, was their inability to claim the high ball and there are few better in the country than Jordie Barrett in his area.
Several major rugby championships around the world have been decided recently by outrageously high scorelines, including the Hurricanes against the Chiefs, but that ambition on attack is unlikely to force its way into the Test arena any time soon.
In Tests, the kicking game takes precedence and – for all of Tony Brown’s attacking influence at the Boks – the high ball is likely to reign supreme in August and September.
The issue with shifting Jordie is of course that he is an integral part of the All Blacks midfield, and has been after his permanent move (give or take the occasional cameo) from the back-field to the No.12 jersey in 2023.
But there appear to be more upsides to moving the adaptable 29-year-old. Brother Beauden and McKenzie just don’t convince as consistently safer options at the back and there is a ready-made alternative at second-five in Quinn Tupaea – the man crowned recently as Super Rugby Pacific player of the year and who had a standout 2025 in the Test arena.
Tupaea could form a midfield with Billy Proctor or Anton Lienert-Brown, recently back from his Japanese sabbatical, also an option.
If one is purely picking a back three on high ball ability, Jordie strikes as the best short-to-medium-term option at fullback as the Boks approach, with Caleb Clarke at left wing and Jordan possibly easing back to the right.
Perhaps another issue for Rennie and the selectors is that none of the first-fives, apart from Beauden Barrett, has played much at fullback this year and he has struggled for game time and form all year due to injury.
A final issue is that, apart from Moorby, few would choose to move back - including Jordie.
There is no question that there must be a compromise – one that Rennie is comfortable with – at least for the Tests against France, Italy and Ireland.
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