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'Akira has decided personally to make a change': Blockbusting Blues loose forward set for another massive season

Akira Ioane and Rieko Ioane. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

It took until the All Blacks‘ final test match of the year, but fans and critics across New Zealand were finally treated to an exemplary performance from Blues loose forward Akira Ioane.

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Not long ago, Ioane was being touted as just another player who possessed immense potential but lacked the polish needed to play international football.

Ioane proved his doubters wrong with a man-of-the-match performance against the Pumas in a game which clinched the Tri-Nations for the All Blacks and possibly handed the blockbusting blindside flanker the incumbent No 6 jersey for 2021.

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A montage of our craziest year in memory.

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A montage of our craziest year in memory.

Earlier in the year, however, Ioane was struggling to earn minutes for the Blues – let alone push for a black jersey.

With Tom Robinson, Dalton Papalii, Blake Gibson and Tony Lamborn on the books, plus the emergence of the supremely talented Hoskins Sotutu, Ioane found himself on the outers and had to bide his time.

It wasn’t until the Blues’ final match of the regular Super Rugby season – before the COVID-enforced break – that Ioane was finally able to earn a start, and from there the 25-year-old’s season took off.

Still, the early stages of the season were a stark contrast to two years ago when Ioane played in every single one of the Blues’ matches – but it seemed to work for the big No 8. Ioane looked fresh and hungry, and his form was rewarded with a call-up to the national side.

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Ioane had travelled with the All Blacks in 2018 and played in two non-test games, but his test debut had to wait until the third Bledisloe of 2020. The blindside flanker stood out alongside Ardie Savea and Sam Cane, but was pulled from the game before halftime due to a red card incurred by prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi, putting an end to his promising debut. Weeks later, Ioane was finally called upon once more – in the All Blacks’ final match of the year.

Blues coach Leon MacDonald was quick to heap praise on the young loose forward while speaking on Sky Sports’ The Conversation podcast, but cautioned hosts Rikki Swannell and Joe Wheeler that it wasn’t the Blues that brought out the best in Ioane – it was Ioane himself.

“Firstly, I thought his performance [against Argentina] was outstanding,” MacDonald said. “[And] it was fantastic, his last test that he played until he had to go off because of the red card – he was in good knick.

“What have the Blues done? Look, probably Akira has decided personally to make a change. I think it’s well documented around some of his troubles and tough times. I think what we’ve provided is some really good support to him, a lot of encouragement, and we’ve just been there for him really as he worked his way through … He’s got a really close relationship with Tana and Tana’s been a good mentor for him and also Tom [Coventy], being the forwards coach.

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“I think we’ve been his other ‘safe place’. Obviously, he’s got his home and his family but he knows that [in] rugby, he’s well respected and well accepted there. And the boys have his back and as he started making progress and his game started going you could just see the confidence come and the way he’s playing the game now, he looks like he belongs at test rugby.”

Ioane will again face tough competition from his Blues teammate in 2021, with Gibson, Papalii, Robinson and Sotutu all still on the books, plus the likes of Under 20s star Taine Plumtree and All Black openside flanker Dillon Hunt also joining the cause.

If Ioane can maintain his form from the latter half of 2020, however, then it will take a monumental effort from one of his positional rivals to force him out of the starting loose forwards when the Super Rugby season kicks off in late February.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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