Rieko Ioane denies reports of a move to Japan in 2024

All Blacks X-factor winger turned centre Rieko Ioane has denied claims that he has taken a contract in Japan’s Rugby League One that would see the former All Black Sevens star head offshore, along with half of the All Blacks’ starting XV following this year’s World Cup.

The Roar on Friday reported Ioane’s next move and revealed the Ricoh Black Rams as his chosen destination, joining more than a handful of his All Black teammates in finding a pocket-lining contract in Japan.

However, within four hours of that article being published, Ioane had responded to a follow up inquiry from Stuff: “I haven’t seen anything,” he said. “That’s news to me.”

The ever-growing list of All Blacks departing New Zealand shores following the World Cup predominantly features those in the 30+ age bracket, and so the 25-year-old Ioane would buck the trend if he was to depart New Zealand.

The rumoured contract may not come as a surprise, however, considering the nature of the contract extension Ioane signed last year; while most New Zealand Rugby contracts secure players over a multi-year period, Ioane instead opted for a single-year extension which leaves his options open following the World Cup.

While the departure of the All Black veterans comes as little surprise, Ioane’s position as a 59-cap 25-year-old whose as close to a certain selection as it gets for Ian Foster’s side may cause some alarm bells to start ringing to an increasingly familiar tune, as the contracts on offer overseas continue to lure Kiwi talent offshore.

The Roar also reported that Ioane wasn’t the only young All Black weighing his options, naming David Havili and Will Jordan as players who may be testing the waters elsewhere. Should more players take their opportunities in foreign competitions, it will add to the gaping holes left in the All Blacks XV in 2024.

The once immovable duo of Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick leave the locking stocks depleted, taking 243 games of international experience with them as they look to play out the remainder of their careers in Japan.

Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga also head to Japan and leave the No 10 jersey vacant and with enormous shoes to fill, while their halves partner Aaron Smith’s departure means the All Blacks will be on the hunt for an entirely new nine-ten combination.

Adding a midfield vacancy to the list continues the concerns over continuity while furthering New Zealand’s trouble with securing a mid field combination, an area that has plagued Ian Foster’s reign as head coach.

Jordie Barrett’s move to the No 12 jersey looked to have ended the period of experimentation and given the All Blacks midfield a bright future with the 26-and-25-year-old Barrett and Ioane partenership offering a broad skillset and a wealth of international experience considering their age.

The details of any offshore contract will resolve the uncertainty but for now, Ioane stays focussed on the Blues 2023 Super Rugby Pacific campaign that kicks off next weekend in Dunedin.