All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson is throwing the spotlight back onto Rieko Ioane as the seasoned centre makes his comeback against Wales at the Principality Stadium. Having been sidelined for the bulk of the end-of-year tour, the 28-year-old Ioane is now poised to reassert his presence in New Zealand's final game of the season.
Robertson spoke about Ioane's journey back to the starting lineup, noting, "Rieko's extremely experienced. He’s just worked tirelessly on this tour to get an opportunity and now it’s his." The coach emphasized the rotation strategy he employed throughout the tour, allowing players like Anton Lienert-Brown and now Ioane to prove their mettle. "Everyone’s had a crack, so it balances the squad," Robertson added, highlighting the squad’s depth and resilience amidst injuries.
"You’re constantly checking on your players and you have little conversations just to make sure you’re consistently giving them feedback. There’s a technical aspect and there’s a tactical, but there’s also the human side, so it’s just to make sure you stay ready, you’re going to get a crack and this is his one,"
Robertson was equally enthusiastic about another player, Ruben Love, who has been named in the backline and will earn his fifth cap. Love's selection comes after a standout year with the Hurricanes in Super Rugby Pacific, with fans and pundits alike clamoring for his inclusion. "You saw him at the Hurricanes last year playing 10, playing some great footy. It’s challenging when you’ve got a world-class full-back like Will Jordan and the balance of it when you’re going for a Grand Slam," Robertson explained.
The coach also touched on his influence and ongoing communication with players during their franchise seasons, clarifying, "You have conversations with them and you talk about how they’re going to use their team, this squad and their individual players, but you never talk about how they’re going to play and who’s going to play where." Yet, he conceded, "But you do have conversations and say: ‘Look, if there is an opportunity, we would love to see him there’."
As the All Blacks gear up for their final showdown of the year, all eyes will be on Ioane and Love to see if they can seize their moments and help steer New Zealand to a triumphant close of their season.
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All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson is throwing the spotlight back onto Rieko Ioane as the seasoned centre makes his comeback against Wales at the Principality Stadium. Having been sidelined for the bulk of the end-of-year tour, the 28-year-old Ioane is now poised to reassert his presence in New Zealand's final game of the season.
Robertson spoke about Ioane's journey back to the starting lineup, noting, "Rieko's extremely experienced. He’s just worked tirelessly on this tour to get an opportunity and now it’s his." The coach emphasized the rotation strategy he employed throughout the tour, allowing players like Anton Lienert-Brown and now Ioane to prove their mettle. "Everyone’s had a crack, so it balances the squad," Robertson added, highlighting the squad’s depth and resilience amidst injuries.
"You’re constantly checking on your players and you have little conversations just to make sure you’re consistently giving them feedback. There’s a technical aspect and there’s a tactical, but there’s also the human side, so it’s just to make sure you stay ready, you’re going to get a crack and this is his one,"
Robertson was equally enthusiastic about another player, Ruben Love, who has been named in the backline and will earn his fifth cap. Love's selection comes after a standout year with the Hurricanes in Super Rugby Pacific, with fans and pundits alike clamoring for his inclusion. "You saw him at the Hurricanes last year playing 10, playing some great footy. It’s challenging when you’ve got a world-class full-back like Will Jordan and the balance of it when you’re going for a Grand Slam," Robertson explained.
The coach also touched on his influence and ongoing communication with players during their franchise seasons, clarifying, "You have conversations with them and you talk about how they’re going to use their team, this squad and their individual players, but you never talk about how they’re going to play and who’s going to play where." Yet, he conceded, "But you do have conversations and say: ‘Look, if there is an opportunity, we would love to see him there’."
As the All Blacks gear up for their final showdown of the year, all eyes will be on Ioane and Love to see if they can seize their moments and help steer New Zealand to a triumphant close of their season.