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'Can't escape the south': Josh Ioane heading back to where it all began

(Photo by Alan Lee/Photosport)

Before Josh Ioane’s first season of Super Rugby away from the Highlanders even kicks off, the former All Black is heading back to New Zealand’s deep south with the Chiefs in preparation for their upcoming campaign.

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Ioane parted ways with the Highlanders at the end of last season, despite having a year left to run on his contract, and has linked up with the Chiefs for the 2022 season where he will aim to take ownership of a No 10 jersey that’s already well contested by the likes of Bryn Gatland and Kaleb Trask.

With Covid-19 continuing to cause issues around the country, however, the six New Zealand Super Rugby sides will relocate to Queenstown for the opening three weeks of the Super Rugby Pacific season. All games over those opening rounds will take place either at Wakatipu Rugby Club in Queenstown or the Highlanders’ home stadium, Forsyth Barr in Dunedin. With the Chiefs set to play the Highlanders in the opening round of the competition, Ioane was already set to quickly face off with his old squad after defecting north, and now he’ll also be doing so inside their territory.

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“Can’t escape the South eh?” Ioane joked on Friday with media after the Chiefs’ first pre-season hit-out of the year.

“Yeah it does feel a bit weird. At least we still get to play. We’ve been together [as a squad] for five weeks and we talked about how we’re going to have every hour of every day to talk about footy but we’ve got two days now to spend with our families and on Monday [head] down to Queenstown.”

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Ioane, originally hailing from Auckland, debuted for Otago during the 2017 provincial season and was quickly signed by the Highlanders. Two years later, the former Samoa Under 20s representative earned his test debut for the All Blacks against Tonga ahead of the Rugby World Cup but was not required for the trip to Japan. After two further seasons with the Highlanders, Ioane has opted for a change of scenery by shifting to Hamilton – not that he’ll spend much of the formative part of the season in the Waikato.

Regardless, he’s already making a good fist of his stint with the Chiefs, contributing 17 points in the victory over Moana Pasifika, including one well-taken try and six successful conversions. The 26-year-old acknowledged that despite having a month of pre-season under their belt, both teams were developing combinations on the field for the first time in a competitive match.

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“There was definitely some new combinations out there, both teams were trying to find their feet,” he said.

As a whole, it was a solid contribution off the bench for Ioane and while it won’t have guaranteed him a starting berth in the first five-eighth role, it will have given head coach Clayton McMillan pause for thought.

McMillan was characteristically understated when quizzed on Ioane’s performance after the match: “He kicked his goals and he got a few opportunities to run with the ball. He was defensively sound. He made a really good fist of it.”

The man himself isn’t taking anything for granted and was quick to lay plaudits on the efforts of his rivals for the No 10 jersey with the Chiefs.

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“I can tell you it’s been a competitive pre-season,” said Ioane. “I feel like the other boys at first five have definitely come in all cylinders firing so it’s definitely making me push as well. I think we’re all pushing each other so I think it’s good competition.”

The one-test All Black also downplayed any suggestions of pressure.

“I don’t feel like there’s any pressure. All I can do is just put my best foot forward. If it’s someone else [who wears No 10] then they deserve it but if it’s me then it’s me. I don’t think there’s any pressure, it’s just about putting my best foot forward.”

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While Kaleb Trask remains on ice after picking up a minor injury during an inter-squad pre-season skirmish, Bryn Gatland was tasked with the playmaking duties in the opening half of the 90-minute match. While the scoring didn’t open up until Ioane joined the fray, Gatland was poised in the flyhalf role and certainly won’t have harmed his chances of selection either.

Whoever was wearing the No 10 jersey throughout the match, Moana Pasifika was quick to rush out of the blocks and put pressure on the first receiver.

“It was not bad. They’re a physical team, big boys, and they got a few phases together at the end there and we were defending for long phases,” Ioane said during the post-game coverage. “I think the work-on there is just not allowing them to have the ball so much with our discipline.”

McMillan echoed those sentiments and will now work with his assistant coaches to determine who will travel with the squad down to Queenstown over the weekend.

Next weekend the Chiefs will take on the Blues with the head coach indicating a more traditional 23-man squad (or something similar) would be called upon, instead of the 34 players that were utilised against Moana Pasifika, with an eye to preparing the team for the opening game of their season against the Highlanders on February 18.

“Probably wouldn’t look too far ahead, just next week’s game,” McMillan said aftert the match. “Blues are gonna be tough. We’ve assembled a great squad and I guess everybody will move a little bit closer next week to something resembling a match-day 23. Another week, you’ll find out.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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