There was a time, not so long ago, when the Ioane brothers could not take a trick in the All Blacks environment.
As recently as 2019, Rieko had found himself a spare part in the Rugby World Cup squad in Japan and Akira could not even get a look in as he was publicly hung out to dry for his perceived shortcomings.
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That was then. And this is now.
Fast forward a couple of years and you could safely say the Auckland brothers – foundation pieces of the Blues revival in 2021 – are among the first names All Blacks coach Ian Foster writes down in his full-strength lineup.
Rieko has become a key and versatile member of the backline, either at centre or on the left-wing, depending on requirements, and Akira is making the No.6 position his own with a series of barnstorming performances that are showcasing his spectacular mixture of size, speed and skill.
It is, you might say, the age of the Ioanes, with the All Blacks’ 38-21 victory over the Wallabies in Perth and a 39-0 win over Aregentina to go 3-0 for The Rugby Championships well and truly underlining the impact these bruise brothers are now having in the Test arena.
Their games were almost as spectacular as each other.
Akira, named player of the match in Perth, and praised from pillar to post afterwards for a powerhouse display, started the contest on the blindside flank and then moved to No.8 when Ardie Savea departed just before halftime.
He ran for a pack-high 88 metres (on nine carries), with an extraordinary nine defenders beaten, three clean breaks, an offload and a pair of try assists. For good measure he nailed 10 of his 11 tackles attempted.
Rieko, starting on the left wing, was wreaking similar destruction in the wider channels.
With sizzling top-end speed, the 24-year-old ran for a team-high 103 metres on nine carries, beat three defenders, and made a clean break and an offload.
He also executed a brilliant try-saving chase-back of a runaway Tom Banks in which he was clocked at a top speed of 38.5 km/h.
These are indeed heady days for the brothers who have taken contrasting routes to the top.
Rieko made his Test debut in 2016 as a 19-year-old sensation and for two full years (2017 and 2018) was an automatic All Blacks selection on the left wing where he scored 21 tries in 22 internationals and was damn close to the best No.11 in the game
But then in 2019 a calf injury slowed the Aucklander markedly and a dip in form and confidence eventually saw him surpassed by the emerging Sevu Reece and George Bridge on the All Blacks’ wing pecking order.
They were unhappy times for the younger Ioane who decided to freshen his mind and game with a shift to centre for his franchise.
Even last year he started just two Tests in the All Blacks’ pared-back campaign, and very much played second fiddle to the arrival of his Blues team-mate, and power wing, Caleb Clarke on the international scene.
But a strong campaign for the Blues in 2021, playing almost exclusively at centre, and Clarke’s defection to the sevens program saw the door reopen for Ioane, and for Foster, the results have been a delight to watch.
“Rieko is on top of his game, he’s confident, and I like his growth at both centre and wing,” reflects the coach.
“We’ve always seen him as a wing who wants to play centre and now that’s starting to even out a little bit because of his growth at centre. He’s at his best when he dances around and he’s comfortable in the environment. He’s embracing more of a leadership role too, which is good.
“In 2019 he had a calf injury that kept him out for the early part of the international season, and by the time he was coming right it was the end of the World Cup. He just wasn’t fast in 2019 – he’s fast now. He’s got his speed back, and got that little swagger that he’s pretty proud of.”
Then there is Akira. His path to the All Blacks has been less direct. He burst on to the sevens scene in 2014 as an 18-year-old, and by 2015 was running out for the Blues, Auckland and New Zealand Maori with a reputation as a destructive loose forward of special qualities.
Akira’s All Blacks call up came, a year later than his younger brother, for the 2017 northern tour (where he made a midweek appearance against a French XV), though he never kicked on.
His form wavered over 2018 and 2019, and the criticism started to come, led by a frustrated All Blacks coach (Steve Hansen) who publicly challenged the young loose forward.
Akira opened up last year on his struggles over that period, his lack of focus for the game, and then his mental challenges dealing with the setbacks. He even contemplated walking away from the game.
But his brother and father were both having none of it, and provided the “kick up the bum” he needed. Taking the criticism on board, Akira refocused and took control of his narrative.
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Foster gave him another crack in 2020, on the back of a strong campaign for the Blues, and after an ill-fated first Test start against the Wallabies in Brisbane (he was subbed after just 28 minutes when prop Ofa Tuungafasi was sent off), he finished the year strongly with a standout start in the bounceback victory over Argentina.
The trajectory continued apace in 2021, with Ioane winning the contestable race for the No.6 jersey and then putting in a series of powerhouse displays against the Wallabies, culminating in his big day out in Perth.
“Where we’re seeing the consistency is on the Sunday to Friday which means we’re not guessing which player is going to turn up on the Saturday,” observed Foster.
“He’s probably used to being told what he does wrong, and I think he’s really responding to focusing on what he can do right and we’re seeing a bounce in his step with that approach.
“He’s grown up nicely and now he’s starting to put a couple of games together I believe his confidence will keep growing and growing.”
Stand-in All Blacks skipper Ardie Savea agreed: “With Aki there have been a lot of doubters, but we’re seeing him grow off the field … he’s just maturing as a man, and you’re getting to see the fruits on the field. He’s an absolute beast and freak.”
For Akira, there is satisfaction and relief that he’s finally delivering on all that promise.
“It’s always nerve-racking putting on that black jersey. There are a lot of people who will doubt you, and people who will be there for you. It’s a lot of pressure but we all love that.
“I have had my challenges, and worked through that two years ago. But being here now it’s pretty special and something I don’t take for granted. It’s been a long journey, and a hard one as well.” Stay tuned. The journey for these special brothers is just getting going.
