All Blacks great makes surprise Beauden Barrett prediction after return of ‘specialist full-back’
All Blacks playmakers Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie alongside Justin Marshall.
Former All Blacks star Justin Marshall believes that the return of Will Jordan could signal a change in Scott Robertson’s plans going forward.
The 26-year-old has endured a tough couple of years through injury and missed the entirety of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific campaign due to a shoulder issue.
However, Jordan is back fit and could well be selected in New Zealand’s Rugby Championship squad, which is named next Sunday.
The Crusaders flyer has played most of his Test rugby on the wing but has long been thought of as a full-back.
Jordan’s Crusaders position
That was the position Robertson regularly played him in while at the Christchurch outfit and Marshall predicts that he will take that slot for the All Blacks.
“They didn’t pick a specialist full-back, they took (Stephen) Perofeta and knew that (Beauden) Barrett could fill the spot as well because they were targeting Will Jordan as their specialist full-back,” he told The Breakdown.
“Razor’s played him there for the Crusaders, he got the best rugby out of him, made him an All Black, he knows what he delivers from that jersey and we’ve got enough talent on the wings.”
That of course could result in Beauden Barrett switching roles and Marshall says that he wants the 33-year-old to be competing for the fly-half shirt with Damian McKenzie, despite his performances at full-back in the mid-year series.
“Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie are going to be jockeying for that 10 jersey because Will Jordan’s returned,” he added.
Robertson could well ease Jordan back into the international fold, but Sir John Kirwan believes that the talented back should immediately return to the XV.
Kirwan thinks that it will be on the wing, rather than full-back however, as the 59-year-old disagreed with Marshall’s selection call.
“Yes, he goes straight back in. I think there are some players that don’t need to play to get back in, and this is something I’ve had to change over the years,” he said.
“Look at (Ethan) Blackadder, he had been out a long time, comes straight back in, plays to a high standard. I think Will Jordan is one of those, and I think they start him on the wing.”
Both Barrett and Jordan in the team
Fellow ex-All Black Jeff Wilson would have both Barrett and Jordan in the XV, with the former remaining a fly-half option if Robertson wants to give the latter some game time at full-back.
“Not everyone’s going to play every game. You’re not going to play 14 Test matches in the year,” Wilson said.
“I look at Will Jordan and he’s a world-class finisher, a world-class wing. I like the fact of him coming on at wing and giving us the versatility to maybe go back to full-back if you want to push Beauden Barrett forward.
“I would start him on the wing with Beauden Barrett at full-back.”
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