Will Jordan

So lethal is this All Blacks wing, it's easy to forget he missed ten months with a migraine-related condition. It's like he never left...

- LIAM NAPIER

CATCH, PASS, step, run, score. Everything on a rugby field appears effortless for Will Jordan. His rapid, gliding running style. His attacking potency that’s seen him claim 23 tries in the same number of Tests for the All Blacks. His anticipation and versatility.

This past year, though, has been anything but straightforward for Jordan. Watch Jordan now and it’s easy to forget he endured a ten-month absence from the Test arena. He missed last year’s northern tour with the All Blacks, and the opening ten rounds of this year’s Super Rugby season, with a concerning migraine-related condition. Such a prolonged spell on the sidelines sparked fears that the 25-year-old’s career could be in jeopardy.

During that time Jordan was forced to be patient. Every week Crusaders coach Scott Robertson deflected placing any form of firm timeline on Jordan’s return to play. Such a delicate condition dictates that Jordan had to listen to his body and take baby steps to ensure he wasn’t pushing too hard in his recovery. After eventually resuming training with the Crusaders, reintroducing contact was the final hurdle to clear.

Emerging through that adversity, he returned against the Western Force in May. With over 100 running metres, two try assists and a try in his 57-minute comeback, it was as if he’d never left.

“When you have a bit of uncertainty around what’s happening, it can be a bit of a struggle mentally,” Jordan says. “But I had a great plan in place with the medical team and my family, and I was just trying to take it day by day.