Will Jordan celebrates scoring a try for the All Blacks. Photo: ©INPHO/Ken Sutton
All Blacks star Will Jordan is backing the idea of a Super Rugby draft, and would like New Zealanders to be able to play for Australian sides without affecting their eligibility for the national side.
After a test season with the All Blacks and a summer break, Jordan is back with the Crusaders and he's raring to go after missing all of last year's Super Rugby Pacific with injury.
"It's been probably 18 months now since I put on the Crusaders jersey and I'm excited by the new year ahead. It's a team that I'm extremely passionate about and we've got a great group coming through."
Will Jordan of the Crusaders on his way to a try against the Chiefs in Hamilton, March 26. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Last year's Super Rugby season wasn't a bad one to miss for the 26-year-old, with his beloved Crusaders - who had won seven titles in seven years prior to 2024 - failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015, finishing ninth with just four wins from 14 games.
Jordan said the players and coaching staff were determined not to let that happen again.
"There's obviously a little bit of hurt from last year and it's in the back of everyone's mind and provides a fresh challenge and perspective for the group.
"It's a clean slate, but you want to harness a bit of that hurt as well. For us it's about making a few changes and trying to stay ahead of the game and trying to put a bit of pride back in this jersey, which has had a pretty good run over the last 25 years or so.
"There's huge amount of motivation in the group."
Jordan is confident the 2025 Super Rugby season will be a close-fought affair and hopes some rule changes and promotional drives will help increase interest in the tournament.
"I think it's gonna be a hugely exciting comp. Some new rule changes have come in to try and promote the game and have it played at a faster pace. And there's a few initiatives… Fantasy as well, which hopefully will drive a bit of fan engagement.
"I think the comp's in a decent place as we start the year, and the onus is on the players to go out there and produce a product that excites the fans and gets people both watching on TV and down at the ground."
Jordan understood Super Rugby had a fight on its hands to increase both crowd numbers and viewership figures, and the All Blacks fullback believed introducing a draft system could help.
Will Jordan in action for the Crusaders. Photo: www.photosport.nz / John Davidson
Many pundits believed evenly spreading the best young players from across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands (and possibly Japan) would create a truly competitive Super Rugby, with the draft concept becoming increasingly popular.
"I think the stuff around the draft, it obviously creates a huge amount of excitement and equity across the competition right? You see it in American sports a lot and it does add a lot of excitement," Jordan said.
Rugby Australia boss and former Wallabies loose forward Phil Waugh was keen on the idea, vowing to discuss the concept with his New Zealand Rugby (NZR) counterpart Mark Robinson.
NZR Player Association chief executive,Rob Nichol was also a fan, though he's said previously that some conditions would need to be in place.
Jordan understands the potential obstacles, including New Zealand Rugby's policy to bar national selection for players if they're not contracted domestically, a rule aimed at preventing an exodus of players and weakening local competitions.
"There's a few challenges in there around logistics of the Players Association and guys getting shipped off and all that. So I think there's a bit of work that would have to go into it. I'm not sure it's something that would necessarily come in, but you never know," Jordan said.
NZR's All Blacks selection rules have been thrust into the spotlight in recent times, with All Blacks coach Scott Robertson publicly voicing his desire to review the current policy. He favours a South African type model, where players who have reached a certain number of tests can ply their trade overseas and still be eligible for New Zealand.
Jordan thinks allowing New Zealanders to play for Australian Super Rugby sides could be the way forward.
"In terms of the eligibility it's obviously been a hot topic of conversation over the last few months. I could see it getting to a point where maybe you could play for any Super Rugby team and still be eligible for the All Blacks. It would create diversity across the comp having a few Kiwis playing over in Aussie or vice versa.
"I don't know how far away that would be or if that's something that's realistic. I know New Zealand rugby have got a pretty strict policy at the moment and that's something that's held them in good stead over the last 25 years as the game's gone professional. There's a bit of water to go under the bridge there, but you've got to look at ways to keep the game exciting at a franchise level and keep it in the news and being talked about."
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