‘Everything felt new’: Rieko Ioane on a fresh All Blacks start after Leinster stint

89-Test centre Rieko Ioane is no longer a new face in the All Blacks environment, but the 29-year-old is feeling refreshed and excited under a new coaching group.

Ioane’s 2026 season-long sabbatical at United Rugby Championship franchise Leinster proved a masterstroke in prolonging the outside-back’s All Blacks career.

Under former head coach Scott Robertson, Ioane was often overlooked, but a refreshing season away from the New Zealand Rugby spotlight seems to have motivated him to get back to his best.

Ioane missed out on initial selection for the All Blacks’ three-Test July Nations Championship window, but was named in the extended 44-man squad for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour against South Africa.

The versatile No.13 wedged his way into Dave Rennie’s thinking after multiple strong midweek performances against South African sides, showcasing blistering speed he seems to have rediscovered.

While discussing the All Blacks’ upcoming Bledisloe Cup series on Sport Nation NZ, Ioane explained how it felt returning to the national team environment under Rennie.

“Yeah, I guess it was sort of, you know, the feelings and the excitement of coming back; it was sort of like when I was first selected, and everything was new,” Ioane told Millsy & Guy on Sport Nation.

“Everything felt new, and there was a freshness and excitement to the way that, firstly, the boys in Super Rugby were playing, and then how they were playing in the All Blacks.

Ioane likens the new feeling to his debut in 2016 against Italy in Rome, admitting that before 2026 he may have felt “a bit comfortable” in the environment.

“So again, it was those feelings of debuting again and just that excitement feel really. That that’s sort of how I felt coming in, and I was a bit on edge and a bit weary.

“Whereas I might have been a bit comfortable before, but yeah. So those were the feelings I had.”

Along with most, if not all, of the All Blacks backs, 2026 is the first time they have been coached by attack coach Mike Blair, with Ioane explaining that Blair sees the game differently to most of the side.

“But no, he’s a very big voice in this team, and he just sees the game a bit differently to how, for example, I’d see an attacking shape on the field.

“He sees stuff differently, and it’s been so good for us. And I think you can see with the way that we’ve been attacking, with the flair there.

“He wants to bring out the natural skill sets that we have as athletes in this team, and you know, combine that with a bit of structure. It makes for such a promising future for this team.”