Record in sight as Jordan keeps scoring

All Blacks outside back Will Jordan scores one of his two tries — a third was disallowed — in the tackle of French hooker Gaetan Barlot on Saturday night. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH

Will Jordan has a frankly ridiculous strike rate of 40 tries in 42 tests.

But that first number really should be 41.

On a night when the All Blacks had three tries rubbed out on review, Jordan was denied a hat-trick against the French in Dunedin in particularly cruel circumstances.

The All Blacks appeared to put the test away with France having a man in the bin when quick ball went to the right in the 63rd minute, and Jordan showed nice control to reach out and score.

Then came the dreaded TMO intervention, and it was determined — harshly, as far as most All Blacks fans are concerned — big prop Pasilio Tosi had been guilty of obstruction during the movement.

"Disappointing, ha ha," was Jordan’s response after the game when asked about being robbed of a hat-trick.

"But it’s fine margins in test footy, isn’t it?

"A bit of a tough call, potentially. But you’ve just got to be clean around what you do in that area."

Jordan overtook Otago great Ben Smith to claim seventh place on the list of leading All Blacks try-scorers with his second try.

It is surely only a matter of time before the Crusaders star mows down Doug Howlett, the record-holder with 49 tries, and even sets a total that will never be beaten.

"It’s something I’ve certainly thought about.

"But for me it’s going out there and doing my role, and as a back three player, scoring tries is part of that.

"It would ultimately be something that would be pretty cool to do, but there’s a wee way to go."

Jordan said the All Blacks had never under-estimated their opponents despite France arriving in New Zealand without a swag of leading players.

He had plenty of motivation himself as he had ended on the losing side in all three of his previous tests against Les Bleus.

And while the rock stars might have been missing, it was a "typical game against the French".

"We showed full respect to them, and the entire programme they’ve built. They’ve got good guys coming through and good depth.

"It felt like we did enough to have a bit of a lead but we let in a couple of soft ones, they kicked a couple of long-range goals, and it was a bit of a fight the whole night.

"I thought we played in the right area of the field in that second half, so we were sort of in control for the most of it.

"It wasn’t necessarily our most clinical effort, but I thought when we needed to, we were."

Jordan had just 57sec in his favoured fullback position before switching to the wing when Sevu Reece got injured.

There seems a fair chance he could stay on the flank with Damian McKenzie starting at fullback in the second test in Wellington.