July 13, 2026 • 10 mins
It's been a big week for All Blacks star Will Jordan, after he made history over the weekend.
The All Blacks outside back scored a hat-trick in the 47-17 win over Italy and overtook Doug Howlett for the New Zealand test record with 50 tries.
Crusaders assistant coach Brad Mooar joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
So he is great pleasure to welcome into the show.
Brad Moore, who has coached Will Jordan of course at
super rugby and international level with the All Blacks as well. Brad,
thanks for taking the time to join us, mate. Can
you remember the first time that you became aware of
Will Jordan as a rugby player?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Oh? Ay, Jason, thanks mate, It's pleasure to be on
talking about Will. Fine human, great guy and superb player.
Isn't he the first that became aware of him? I
would have been in his school days when he's obviously
was doing a great job with the christ Which Boys
High first fifteen and I think him and Josh McKay
(00:54):
carved up against christ College in that one game that's
been reported on a number of times since then as well,
but together they sort of hit the headlines then and
from then on. Who has watched the fella?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, well, and we have, and we've loved watching him.
When you started to work alongside him, did it become
apparent pretty early on that that he was going to
be something a little bit special?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Oh? Absolutely, yeah, yeah, absolutely, Like he was just from
straight out of school. He was going to be playing
MPC the Crusader's Academy picture, and it was very evident
that there was the talent. I d piece was very
very clear. Usually is when when you see a gold nugget,
(01:43):
the real arts and the and the talent development. So
then how how do you get in and help him
develop as a group, get in and support him to
help him develop as an athlete and as a person
to be able to perform at each next level as
the opportunity comes up. So yeah, it was it was
very clear that athletically power his ability to be in
(02:09):
the right place at the right time. And he's very
very intelligent as well, so he's got a real thirst
for first for knowledge about the game and a curiosity
for learning on field, off field rugby non rugby in
the lot and that all combines to say, Yep, this
guy's going to kick on.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I've got written down here what you just said, right place,
right time. All the great christ scorers seemed to have
the knack. He absolutely has it. Brad. Is that instinctive
or is it something that he's worked really hard to develop?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah, I think it's a bit of both I think
definitely have an instinct a nose for it. You can
sort of the best guys there's like the best halfbacks
around the ruck. They sniffed the opportunity to go because
they sense that a defender is not in the right
place or missing and there's an opportunity. It's the same
goes with the light so well or any any other
(03:04):
sporting athlete as well. That they're just sense where the
game is going, where the ball is moving to, so
where that opportunity is going to come. And I think
that that can that is a bit instinctive, but at
the same time they are skills that have to be honed,
and so the combinations take your instincts, but also make
sure you're doing the work, the analysis, the watching footage,
(03:28):
so then you know your opposition, knowing who you're playing
with as well, where there's where are the chance is
likely to come. And that puts you ahead of the
game because you've already seen the picture and it's confirmation
of what you're seeing, rather than rather than seeing it
for the first time and needing to react to it,
you've already anticipated where to be.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
What about his speed, Brad has outright gas his explosiveness
is top end speed. How hard does he work on that?
And how does he work on that?
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah? Well, like all areas of the game, nothing for
all masters of their trade and superb sports people, academics, whatever, whoever,
they are doing what they do. You and your job, mate,
No success comes before hard work. So these people aren't
just freaks that can just go out and do what
(04:24):
they do on a Saturday night without preparing and working
really hard day and day out. And he he does that.
So in terms of working on his speed, that's that's
power and pace. So that the pliometric type style of stuff.
I'm no expert in the gym, but how you're working
your muscles, how you're getting the power into them to
(04:47):
be able to spring into action and to go the
body movement of his biomechanics if you like, and how
he sprints and moves, and he's just got superb balance
as well. So the power through his hip to knee space,
his message through his glops and his thighs and his
(05:11):
hamstrings are working together give him the opportunity to really
power off and to work with speed at a top end.
Like you say, it also has acceleration and his ability
to change direction and still maintain his pace and accelerate off.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
That he mentioned as well before, a thirst for knowledge,
because I guess there might be the temptation just to
leave someone like that alone because he seems to be
doing okay by himself. But is he someone who constantly
asks questions looks for feedback on ways he can get better?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Absolutely, is yep, one hundred percent real first for it,
like I say, and a high rugby IQ too. So
he's that curiosity just drives you to want to see more,
to look at things differently, to come up with a
different discussion point. And what he's developed with his experience
and as you get a bit older and maturity and
(06:08):
wisdom is the ability to have the conversation about what
about if we do the things this way or Okay,
I'm interested in that that you're saying, so how can
we how can we tweak that to make it work
for us or for me? It's not a it's never
an argument about one opinion being right and wrong. It's
it's okay, let's have a discussion that can actually take
this to a place that it might be something new
(06:32):
and definitely benefits the team. So his his work is
not all about himself at all. He's intimately involved in
our in the planning around how we're going to play
and what are our tactics, our strategy this week, next week,
the following week, our game on the whole, So that
(06:54):
stuff is He's just a pleasure to work with because
he he's coming with ideas, he's coming with the work done,
he's informed. It's it's a it's a great conversation to
have when you're in those with.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Them absolute and it's kind of alluded to it there,
but without wanting to break the privacy of the inner
sanctum off the field, inside a team environment. What does
well Jordan like as a as a member of a
team environment.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Guys, like I said, like I said right at the start,
he's a superb human. He's got great values, morals, being
very well brought up by Mark and Jendi and the
family is really important to him and you can see
that and how he operates. It's it's got high integrity
and amongst the team, you see that man looking after
(07:45):
the jersey, the club, the team as teammates and in
a good sense of humor and willing to have a
bit of a joke around at the right time as well.
So you know, these guys aren't robots, they are humans,
and humans before their athletes. So you need to make
sure that we make sure we're creating an environment people
(08:06):
to be themselves and to want to be their best
version of themselves. And he certainly does that and he
helps others do that as well. So he's a top
teen man.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
So fifty up, now, fifty test tries, you're willing to
have a crack of what the final number might be
when that eventually happened.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Well, i'd reverse the engineer. How many games do you
reckon he's going to have because he's just about going
at one a game. So man, it's going to He's
going to kick on significantly, isn't it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I said this yesterday on the on the air. I
said that if he plays another twenty tests, it's a
ten this year, ten next year, and then he might
carry on. But let's say plays twenty. I mean he
could get to seventy, which is the world record by
the back end of next year. If he's not careful,
seventy tries, that'll do.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Let's go. Let's start there all right, and then and
then go let's working tens from there. I reckon, why
not wouldn't there be a great thing for us if
he's doing that absolutely entertaining, would that be?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, no downside to Will Jordan's scoring tries, that's for sure. Hey, Brad,
you've given a that's some terrific insight tonight. Thanks so
much for joining us. Mate, really enjoyed the chat.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Ah, it's a pleasure, Thanks very much, and we're thrilled
from It's so cool to see that and to see
the joy on his face playing like he's playing and
in contributing to the country's vibe and energy like he
is thrilled from.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Yeah, so we thanks indeed, Brad Brad Moore there who
has coached Will Jordan at super level also at at
All Blacks level when he was part of the En
Foster's team of course as well, so he knows very
well the hard work that goes and behind the scenes.
Because I think that's it, isn't it. You just look
at a guy like World Jordan and Brad More alluded
to it there, you just think, oh, that's the finished
(09:46):
product and it's he's just arrived, fully formed like that, which,
as we all know, in any walk of life, is
not the case. You don't just become amazing straight away.
There is a lot that goes into it.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
So he is great pleasure to welcome into the show.
Brad Moore, who has coached Will Jordan of course at
super rugby and international level with the All Blacks as well. Brad,
thanks for taking the time to join us, mate. Can
you remember the first time that you became aware of
Will Jordan as a rugby player?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Oh? Ay, Jason, thanks mate, It's pleasure to be on
talking about Will. Fine human, great guy and superb player.
Isn't he the first that became aware of him? I
would have been in his school days when he's obviously
was doing a great job with the christ Which Boys
High first fifteen and I think him and Josh McKay
(00:54):
carved up against christ College in that one game that's
been reported on a number of times since then as well,
but together they sort of hit the headlines then and
from then on. Who has watched the fella?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, well, and we have, and we've loved watching him.
When you started to work alongside him, did it become
apparent pretty early on that that he was going to
be something a little bit special?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Oh? Absolutely, yeah, yeah, absolutely, Like he was just from
straight out of school. He was going to be playing
MPC the Crusader's Academy picture, and it was very evident
that there was the talent. I d piece was very
very clear. Usually is when when you see a gold nugget,
(01:43):
the real arts and the and the talent development. So
then how how do you get in and help him
develop as a group, get in and support him to
help him develop as an athlete and as a person
to be able to perform at each next level as
the opportunity comes up. So yeah, it was it was
very clear that athletically power his ability to be in
(02:09):
the right place at the right time. And he's very
very intelligent as well, so he's got a real thirst
for first for knowledge about the game and a curiosity
for learning on field, off field rugby non rugby in
the lot and that all combines to say, Yep, this
guy's going to kick on.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I've got written down here what you just said, right place,
right time. All the great christ scorers seemed to have
the knack. He absolutely has it. Brad. Is that instinctive
or is it something that he's worked really hard to develop?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah, I think it's a bit of both I think
definitely have an instinct a nose for it. You can
sort of the best guys there's like the best halfbacks
around the ruck. They sniffed the opportunity to go because
they sense that a defender is not in the right
place or missing and there's an opportunity. It's the same
goes with the light so well or any any other
(03:04):
sporting athlete as well. That they're just sense where the
game is going, where the ball is moving to, so
where that opportunity is going to come. And I think
that that can that is a bit instinctive, but at
the same time they are skills that have to be honed,
and so the combinations take your instincts, but also make
sure you're doing the work, the analysis, the watching footage,
(03:28):
so then you know your opposition, knowing who you're playing
with as well, where there's where are the chance is
likely to come. And that puts you ahead of the
game because you've already seen the picture and it's confirmation
of what you're seeing, rather than rather than seeing it
for the first time and needing to react to it,
you've already anticipated where to be.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
What about his speed, Brad has outright gas his explosiveness
is top end speed. How hard does he work on that?
And how does he work on that?
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah? Well, like all areas of the game, nothing for
all masters of their trade and superb sports people, academics, whatever, whoever,
they are doing what they do. You and your job, mate,
No success comes before hard work. So these people aren't
just freaks that can just go out and do what
(04:24):
they do on a Saturday night without preparing and working
really hard day and day out. And he he does that.
So in terms of working on his speed, that's that's
power and pace. So that the pliometric type style of stuff.
I'm no expert in the gym, but how you're working
your muscles, how you're getting the power into them to
(04:47):
be able to spring into action and to go the
body movement of his biomechanics if you like, and how
he sprints and moves, and he's just got superb balance
as well. So the power through his hip to knee space,
his message through his glops and his thighs and his
(05:11):
hamstrings are working together give him the opportunity to really
power off and to work with speed at a top end.
Like you say, it also has acceleration and his ability
to change direction and still maintain his pace and accelerate off.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
That he mentioned as well before, a thirst for knowledge,
because I guess there might be the temptation just to
leave someone like that alone because he seems to be
doing okay by himself. But is he someone who constantly
asks questions looks for feedback on ways he can get better?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Absolutely, is yep, one hundred percent real first for it,
like I say, and a high rugby IQ too. So
he's that curiosity just drives you to want to see more,
to look at things differently, to come up with a
different discussion point. And what he's developed with his experience
and as you get a bit older and maturity and
(06:08):
wisdom is the ability to have the conversation about what
about if we do the things this way or Okay,
I'm interested in that that you're saying, so how can
we how can we tweak that to make it work
for us or for me? It's not a it's never
an argument about one opinion being right and wrong. It's
it's okay, let's have a discussion that can actually take
this to a place that it might be something new
(06:32):
and definitely benefits the team. So his his work is
not all about himself at all. He's intimately involved in
our in the planning around how we're going to play
and what are our tactics, our strategy this week, next week,
the following week, our game on the whole, So that
(06:54):
stuff is He's just a pleasure to work with because
he he's coming with ideas, he's coming with the work done,
he's informed. It's it's a it's a great conversation to
have when you're in those with.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Them absolute and it's kind of alluded to it there,
but without wanting to break the privacy of the inner
sanctum off the field, inside a team environment. What does
well Jordan like as a as a member of a
team environment.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Guys, like I said, like I said right at the start,
he's a superb human. He's got great values, morals, being
very well brought up by Mark and Jendi and the
family is really important to him and you can see
that and how he operates. It's it's got high integrity
and amongst the team, you see that man looking after
(07:45):
the jersey, the club, the team as teammates and in
a good sense of humor and willing to have a
bit of a joke around at the right time as well.
So you know, these guys aren't robots, they are humans,
and humans before their athletes. So you need to make
sure that we make sure we're creating an environment people
(08:06):
to be themselves and to want to be their best
version of themselves. And he certainly does that and he
helps others do that as well. So he's a top
teen man.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
So fifty up, now, fifty test tries, you're willing to
have a crack of what the final number might be
when that eventually happened.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Well, i'd reverse the engineer. How many games do you
reckon he's going to have because he's just about going
at one a game. So man, it's going to He's
going to kick on significantly, isn't it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I said this yesterday on the on the air. I
said that if he plays another twenty tests, it's a
ten this year, ten next year, and then he might
carry on. But let's say plays twenty. I mean he
could get to seventy, which is the world record by
the back end of next year. If he's not careful,
seventy tries, that'll do.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Let's go. Let's start there all right, and then and
then go let's working tens from there. I reckon, why
not wouldn't there be a great thing for us if
he's doing that absolutely entertaining, would that be?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, no downside to Will Jordan's scoring tries, that's for sure. Hey, Brad,
you've given a that's some terrific insight tonight. Thanks so
much for joining us. Mate, really enjoyed the chat.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Ah, it's a pleasure, Thanks very much, and we're thrilled
from It's so cool to see that and to see
the joy on his face playing like he's playing and
in contributing to the country's vibe and energy like he
is thrilled from.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Yeah, so we thanks indeed, Brad Brad Moore there who
has coached Will Jordan at super level also at at
All Blacks level when he was part of the En
Foster's team of course as well, so he knows very
well the hard work that goes and behind the scenes.
Because I think that's it, isn't it. You just look
at a guy like World Jordan and Brad More alluded
to it there, you just think, oh, that's the finished
(09:46):
product and it's he's just arrived, fully formed like that, which,
as we all know, in any walk of life, is
not the case. You don't just become amazing straight away.
There is a lot that goes into it.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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