'Can't escape the south': Josh Ioane heading back to where it all began
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
“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.
“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.”
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.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Pot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
19 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
4 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
19 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
19 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
19 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
19 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
19 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
19 Go to comments