Rieko Ioane has received the ultimate tick of approval from All Blacks boss Steve Hansen, who says the winger’s speed, footwork, composure and Blues form have made him impossible to ignore.
The 20-year-old Ioane has seen off the challenge of established Kiwi finishers Julian Savea and Waisake Naholo to start on the left edge in the first British and Irish Lions Test on Saturday.
The Aucklander will become the youngest All Black to start a Test in 12 years when he runs onto his home ground of Eden Park, after already taking on the Test selection with the Blues and Maori All Blacks.
He became the eighth-youngest Test All Black when he made his first appearances off the bench away to Italy and France last November.
Hansen said Ioane, Savea and Naholo were all quality players and deserving of a spot – but that one’s Super Rugby form was clearly superior.
In 14 games for the Blues this season – the Kiwi conference’s poorest side – Ioane has scored 10 tries, made almost 1000 running metres and broken the line 26 times.
“He’s got electrifying speed and we just think that, for this particular match, he’s the boy – the proof will be in the pudding,” Hansen said.
“We saw plenty in the Blues game to suggest he’ll bother them if he’s given a bit of space, and he doesn’t need a lot of it.
“We think he’s more than ready to do the job we want him to do – otherwise we wouldn’t put him out there.”
Barring the concussed Dane Coles, Hansen has been able to pick from his full stable of players for the first Test – including Ryan Crotty, who will line up at centre after overcoming a rib problem, and skipper Kieran Read.
Crotty comes in for Anton Lienert-Brown, who will be used as a hole-punch in the Lions’ defensive rear-guard late on.
Read, meanwhile, slots in for the benched Ardie Savea – and will need all of his 97-cap experience to navigate the match without a proper hit-out, having only just received the tick of approval on a broken thumb.
“Everyone out there will be a wee bit worried about that, but again we’ve planned – right from the moment he broke his thumb – to this point,” Hansen said.
“You can imagine how excited he is, because he’s not only playing, he’s leading the team – and the confidence he gives the others is important too.”
Hansen said the scale of the challenge posed by the Lions had fully dawned on his troops, who understand the series represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He tipped Warren Gatland’s Test selection to stick to their hitherto brawny style, but also bring a little more excitement through surprise back-three additions Liam Williams and Elliot Daly.
“There’ll be some subtle changes, they might use the blindside, some switch plays, and he’s selected Williams because of what he did the other night (against the Chiefs) – so he might want him to counter-attack,” Hansen said.
ALL BLACKS: Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. RESERVES: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden/Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown.
