Will Jordan’s hamstring tear puts the rest of his All Blacks season in doubt

Will Jordan’s All Blacks campaign may be over for the year after the wing suffered a hamstring injury during the team’s match against Scotland. The Crusaders star left the field early in the second half, and assistant coach Neil Barnes later confirmed the injury is a minor tear. Barnes said the extent of Jordan’s recovery over the coming days will determine whether he has any chance of returning for the match against England at Twickenham in a fortnight, or a possible Nations Championship final the following week. For now, the All Blacks are waiting to see how quickly the injury begins to heal. “At this stage, it’s not conclusive where he’s at,” Barnes said on Wednesday. “It’s a minor tear, but it depends how quickly it starts to heal this week. We’ll see how that progresses as the week comes along.” Jordan has already been ruled out of Sunday’s game against Wales, a match he might have been rested for regardless. The injury creates an opening on the right wing, with Fehi Fineanganofo, Rieko Ioane and Chay Fihaki among the possible replacements. Fineanganofo appears to be a leading option after an impressive Super Rugby Pacific season with the Hurricanes. He has played one Test for the All Blacks since joining the squad, but has yet to start. Leicester Fainga’anuku is another possibility, though the article says selectors may prefer to use him as a bench option in a hybrid role. Barnes said the squad has several close selection contests and that changes can be made without weakening the side. He expects some players to get opportunities and said strong performances would raise the standard in their positions. With the World Cup year approaching, Jordan’s recovery will be watched closely, but the coaching staff have not yet made a final call on his availability beyond the Wales match.