Jordan v Jonah head to head: Who is the greater try scorer?

Will Jordan has just surpassed the late, great Jonah Lomu on the All Blacks top try scorers list.

But not all tries are created equal. So how do Jordan's 37 test tries stack up against the pack he is very quickly chasing down?

RNZ has studied each of Lomu and Jordan's 75 tries to determine which has the stronger scoring CV factoring in several elements such as its importance and memorability.

We have devised the following scoring system to apply:

1. Meh - Fell over line.

2. Well finished - Had a bit of work to do.

3. All class - A quality try.

4. A stunner - Individual brilliance.

5. God tier - One of the greats.

An extra half point will be allocated for the following:

Goes 50+ metres, 3+ defenders beaten, match-winner, World Cup match, quality opposition, outsprinted cover, flying finish, won aerial contest, created and finished, speed in support.

Perfect possible score - 10.

Results

Will Jordan.

Tries - 38.

Top Scored RNZ Try - 7 (Try number 31 vs Argentina 2023)

Lowest RNZ Try - 1.5 (x6)

Average Try Value - 3.14.

RNZ Total- 121.

With an average of 3.14, Jordan sits one point average below Lomu. Jordan's pièce de résistance was his 31st test try, as we scored this work of art against Argentina at the 2023 World Cup a 7. Jordan also scored a 6 for this stunner against Wales in 2022 and 6.5 for this effort against Ireland at the caketin earlier the same year. However, Jordan's score is hurt somewhat by a number of standard finishes against tier two nations.

Jonah Lomu.

Tries - 37.

Top RNZ Try - 7 (Try number 4 vs England 1995 AND try number 24 vs France 1999)

Lowest RNZ Try - 1 (Try number 35 vs Italy 2002)

Average Try Value - 4.08.

RNZ Total- 150.5.

Lomu left a legacy of highlights and his powers are evident with a 30 point gap between himself and Jordan. Other than a single score of 1 against Italy, his next lowest are two totals of 2.5. A trio of his greatest tries came at consecutive World Cups, first his legendary trampling of England in '95, before repeating the dose in '99, each netting him a 6.5. The third was a demolition of France in that famous semi-final where he also dotted down for his magnum opus, try number 24. Scored a 7 as simply no other man in world rugby could score such a try as he carried half a dozen hapless Frenchmen over the chalk. Lomu's lowest scored try was his 35th, where he was handed one on a platter against Italy.

Conclusion - Lomu remains the most breathtaking player to ever grace a rugby field. His scoring feats left audiences in awe and it is perhaps unfair to compare with the incomparable. But Jordan has proven himself more than a capable finisher, having created several scorchers by himself, possessing truly game-changing speed and a lethal eye for a linebreak. While he has a glittering career ahead of him with plenty of highlights still to come, for now, Lomu holds the pound-for-pound crown.

Winner - Jonah Lomu

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