Ioane hits the fast track in progressive year
Rieko Ioane’s big rugby year just got upsized.
The ultra-talented Auckland 19-year-old was included as one of only two uncapped players in the fully fledged All Blacks touring party for November (Otago hooker Liam Coltman is the other).
Ioane is one of those investments in the future that Steve Hansen and his fellow selectors are so good at introducing. They made it clear at the squad announcement in Auckland on Sunday that they have major plans for this 1.89m, 102kg backline utility whom they’ve picked as a wing, but has serious potential as a centre at the highest level.
‘‘He’s a big man, a fast man, but is by no means the finished product,’’ said coach Steve Hansen at the announcement of his squad of 36 to take on Ireland (twice), Italy and France. ‘‘There’s a lot of conditioning work we can put into him. We think we can make him a better all-round athlete than what we’ve got, and he’s going to give us another big man on the end of the chain.’’
Ioane is very much on the rugby fast track, after making his Super Rugby debut this year with Tana Umaga’s Blues and going to the Olympics with Gordon Tietjens’ illfated Kiwi sevens outfit. He’s fresh off a standout provincial campaign with Auckland in which he scored a competition-best 10 tries, and topped the stats for clean breaks, defenders beaten and metres run.
The young man was still pinching himself at the squad announcement that he’d made it into the All Blacks ahead of his older brother, Akira, a loose forward, and team-mate with Auckland, the Blues and the national sevens side.
When you have the best coaches in the world, I’m ready to just be a sponge and absorb whatever they have to throw at me." Rieko Ioane
‘‘It’s a dream come true,’’ said Rieko. ‘‘It’s everything my brother and I have been working for. He’ll be a bit gutted [not to have made it], but he’s always been supportive of me and always will be.’’
Ioane said it had been a massive year with all the rugby he had played already, but felt the seeds were planted last year with Auckland at the provincial level.
‘‘I didn’t see too much game time, but I learned so much off Charles [Piutau] and George [Moala].’’
The youngster described his tour inclusion as a ‘‘bonus’’ after doubting he’d done enough to force his way in to a well established group. But now he’s in, he’s ready to soak up whatever comes his way.
‘‘When you have the best coaches in the world, I’m ready to just be a sponge and absorb whatever they have to throw at me. I don’t care whether they need me for, wing or midfield ... I’d be happy enough to learn prop if I had.’’
And now? It was home to celebrate at a barbie with the extended family. ‘‘Dad (Eddie) is over the moon. He was running around the house, and I’d never seen so much speed out of him.’’
Clearly it runs in the family.