Will Jordan breaks Howlett try-scoring record as All Blacks hammer Italy
RECORD BREAKER: New Zealand's Will Jordan smiles as he runs in for a try against Italy in their Nations Championship match in Wellington. Pic: Phil Walter/Getty Images
WINGER Will Jordan scored a record 50th try for New Zealand in a hat-trick as the All Blacks thrashed Italy 47-17 in the Nations Championship test on Saturday.
The prolific outside back touched down once in the first half and twice in three minutes after half-time at Wellington Regional Stadium to eclipse Doug Howlett's record against the outclassed Italians.
"It's hugely humbling, I guess, as a winger on the end of the chain sometimes," said 28-year-old Jordan.
"I've been a part of some great teams over the last seven years and in turn I hope I've inspired a few kids to practise their chip-and-chase in the backyard and dream big."
Deployed on the right wing rather than fullback under new coach Dave Rennie, Jordan has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season.
He scored a double against France in the 34-32 win in the Nations Championship opener in Christchurch last week.
Rennie now has back-to-back wins in his first matches in charge but the Italians have started the Nations Championship with a 0-2 record, after being beaten 27-10 by Japan last week.
The visitors' cause was not helped on Saturday by a dismissal for Niccolo Cannone for head-butting Cameron Roigard at a ruck in the 52nd minute.
The referee issued a yellow card on-field but it was upgraded to red by the Television Match Official, leaving Italy undermanned while 26-10 down.
Loose forward Anton Segner became the first German-born All Black when he took the field in the second half to the delight of his parents who travelled from Frankfurt for his test debut.
Italy started brightly and opened the scoring with a try to Tommaso Menoncello in the second minute but did not cross again until Leonardo Marin found space on the right in the 58th minute.
In between, the All Blacks set up Jordan for a memorable night.
A Jordie Barrett grubber kick behind the Italian line found Leroy Carter who dished off to Jordan for his first try on the half-hour mark.
Barrett also had assists in Jordan's other tries, the last of them in the 54th minute - triggering a standing ovation from the crowd as he took sole ownership of the record.
Sam Darry and Roigard crossed for the hosts early in each half, while Tupou Vaa'i barged over for their seventh try after the final siren.
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