All Blacks face anxious wait on Jordan as France loom
INJURY UPDATE: The Crusaders are worried their Test fullback Will Jordan has been dealt a second injury blow after limping off during their momentous Super Rugby win over the Chiefs.
Jordan was among a host of standout performers for the defending champions in the 36-32 victory on Friday night, only going ahead in the dying minutes through a try to captain David Havili.
It was the second-placed Chiefs’ first defeat in more than two months while the fourth-placed Crusaders ensured they would qualify for the play-offs, regardless of results in next week’s final round.
However, they could be without star All Blacks back Jordan for the knockout phase.
READ: Crusaders book play-off berth
Coach Rob Penney said the 28-year-old’s status was “yet to be determined” but there were initial concerns he had re-strained a calf problem which had sidelined him for the previous six weeks.
“We won’t be the only group who have injuries to key men but Will’s so influential for us,” Penney told reporters.
“We’ve got our fingers and toes and everything else crossed that the outcome for Will this week is really positive.
“He’s such a great professional, he’ll do everything he can to be right.”
New All Blacks coach Dave Rennie will also closely monitor the progress of Jordan, who is a strong candidate to start in New Zealand’s first Test of the year, against France in Christchurch on July 4.
The Crusaders could qualify as high as third if they win next week’s match against the league-leading Hurricanes.
The Chiefs are guaranteed to finish at least second, regardless of their result next week against the third-ranked Blues.
Chiefs coach Jono Gibbes is unsure if key playmaker Damian McKenzie will return against the Blues, after missing the Christchurch match as part of concussion stand-down protocols.
It was a third successive loss to the Crusaders for Gibbes’s team, comprising both matches this season and last year’s Grand Final.
“I think the match lived up to everything we thought it was going to be, a really good battle,” Gibbes said.
“The smallest of margins separated two really good teams. They got on the right side of that, so we’re obviously disappointed, but there’s a lot of stuff that we should be really proud of.”
