What's Wrong With All Blacks Wing Rieko Ioane

The questions keep coming thick and fast for the All Blacks with the Rugby World Cup just two months away but they probably didn't anticipate the wing positions causing them a few issues.

But that's precisely where they are after two unconvincing tests so far this year.

Rieko Ioane hasn't scored a try in four tests – a relative drought when you have 22 tries from 22 starts – and didn't look like getting one against the Springboks in Wellington.

The Blues wing laboured through 60 largely unproductive minutes on Saturday – replacement hooker Dane Coles ran for more metres – before being replaced by Crusaders wing George Bridge.

Where has the spark gone? The All Blacks will hope he rediscovers it fast because frankly, they need it.

Ioane could be – and should be – almost unplayable.

When he first hit the scene he looked like he could score every time he touched the ball.

Teams that gave him too much room – think the British and Irish against both the Blues and All Blacks in 2017 – got burnt, badly.

And when the All Blacks used him as a ball carrier he invariably made metres, even in traffic. By the end of 2017 Wales were effectively the equal of a tired-looking All Blacks team – but they had no answer to Ioane.

Yet there was none of that punch against the Springboks and when Faf de Klerk kicked to his wing Ioane looked all at sea, beaten in the air by the 171cm Cheslin Kolbe.   

Having omitted Waisake Naholo, the All Blacks need Ioane to stand up. He might only be 22 years old but if the All Blacks pick Ben Smith at fullback then invariably Ioane will be the 'senior' wing.

The other options – Bridge and Sevu Reece – both have positional issues and have three caps between them, and Bridge has yet to start a test. Braydon Ennor is similarly inexperienced.

The question of where Ioane's form has gone is not a straightforward one because he started the season strongly for the Blues.

However, when Ioane was required to miss a midseason game for an All Blacks 'rest week' he lost momentum.

Ioane scored nine tries in Super Rugby in 2019 – but only one after that 'rest week' interruption in round 12.

Also, it did not help not help that the Blues had the bye before that 'rest week', meaning that Ioane was inactive for a couple of weeks in the heart of the campaign.

This may be part of a broader problem with the player management program, which adopted a 'one size fits all' philosophy that clearly suited some athletes better than others.

For example, was big prop Karl Tu'inukuafe best served by having a delayed re-entry to his Super Rugby franchise, as was required for all All Blacks? 

Tu'inukuafe had only one Super Rugby campaign behind him at that stage and his breakout campaign at the Chiefs in 2018 came on the back of a long pre-season, sweating through three hard months in Hamilton in late 2017.

Stuff understands New Zealand Rugby will review the player management program and while no wholesale changes should be expected, there is surely some room for tinkering.

But Ioane's issues might have more layers than that. In his past four tests, Ioane started against England, Ireland and South Africa, and replaced Naholo for the final 26 minutes in the romp against Italy.

Clearly, the All Blacks have struggled to break down well-organised defences that are being given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the application of the offside line.

Combined with Ioane's own form issues, that means the sharpest attacking weapon in the All Blacks toolkit currently looks a bit blunt.  


Stuff.co.nz

Troubles at centre, questions at halfback, an injured Retallick, a Kaino shaped hole, three unconvincing performances in succession. This is unprecedented in a World Cup year. Are the wheels finally coming off?

Some thoughts from our Kiwi friends across the puddle: 

ABFan63

We’ve got bigger issues to worry about, rather than Reiko.

Firstly, a high ball catcher should never be left out in the open on their own to catch the ball.

The nearest players need to back up the ball catcher (such as Beauden at fullback) under the high ball. Even Read used to cover the high ball behind the backs but we don’t seem to see him doing this anymore.

Secondly, as we have not settled on combinations at loose forward and mid field backs, there is low cohesiveness in these two areas.

We need to decide on combinations, stick to them, and practice them relentlessly together. We know they are ready when they can run at speed and throw no look passes.

mj007nz

Defenses are aiming to cut the ball off before it gets out wide. Simple as that. No quality ball in space.

ricky baker

Bit hard to show your wares when the forwards aren't dominating and rolling forward and there's so much dropped ball. That cliche  you have to earn the right to go wide still applies. But there's speed work required by the  back three, not just Reiko. Plenty to improve on and I reckon they will.  Go mighty All Blacks!

rlashmore

He's the one Hansen and co. are holding back.

He is allowed to stay on his wing and wait and not go looking for work.

Whether that is a strategy that will win the world cup is for you to decide.

Dr_G

The rush defences have subtly changed to recognise his threat. If you watch the South African game again, their wingers are standing off side most of the time, and the defence is designed to stop the ball even getting out the centres. The ball rarely got along the all black back line, maybe not until the end of the second half. So he is being starved of good ball...hard to score tries when you don't get the ball.

jonnydee

Dunno about what's happened to him, ( but something has lets face it, he's well off his game!) but what is his idea behind his rather strange national anthem stance?? You know, not linking arms with the boys, not singing, doing that stupid thing flexing his arms or whatever? Anyone care to theorise?? Perhaps he's 'displaying' some of his messages on his wristbands? If I was Shag I'd tell the fool to pull his head in!! Is it too late to swop him out for Naholo? 

coachmasta

There is nothing 'wrong' with Reiko, as there is nothing 'wrong' with Akira. This headline is intended to achieve the same as with recent spotlight placed on Akira - simply to open them up to be attacked by the trolls - maybe to start the process of shifting them to the side to allow the up and coming canty / saders players to step into his spot. In terms of his form, he hasn't dropped off as much as Read and Franks, yet no headline giving anyone a chance to bag them - although the trolls seem to only target a certain variety of player. There is every chance Reiko will hold on to his ranking as the best wing in the world after the dust has settled in Japan. Heartening to see the comments on here from genuine rugby people, got in early enough to get a word in before the trolls swamped the page.

Jono84

A saffa here, the guy is world class. All great wingers go through a bit of a dip, wouldn’t  sound off any alarm bells just yet. He’ll probably be the top try scorer in the WC I reckon a long with Kolbe

What do I know?

Reiko, like Bridge and Reece are speed merchants.  They need space for them to use their pace to be effective.  The ABs are not creating this space so they are ineffective.  Opposition know this and hence crowd then out.   Smith, and for that matter Naholo are creators, they find the gap or burst through one.... our problem is now Naholo in particular is gone, we are now close to being one dimensional on the wing, and this helps the opposition to set their defences.  

All are good players, but the selection has limited the options we currently have.  That selection may come back to haunt us.

boulder

When the whole team is not scoring tries it's hardly the wingers fault .

The lions tour exposed coaching problems that still exist .

scrumtime

Potentially a great player.  To me he dosen't look for work, not the best defender and definitely not a good player when his team is on the back foot and under preasure. He had a shocker of a game against SA, and was dramatically shown up by his replacement.  His stats and ratings where the lowest in the team - its not just a one off, he hasn't had a productive season, and hasn't really stood out as a front runner for his AB position.  

Nothing he had the malfunctioning SBW on his inside.  He has not had any rugby since the last SR round robin match of the Blues - so he was rusty.

Cannot understand why Laumape was not at 12.   Difficult to face De Allende though as  he did not play in that match between the Hurricanes and the Stormers as well - that was perhaps why they did not name him for the test after a top class performance against the Argentinians,