'I knew there would be no room': Highlanders playmaker Josh Ioane opens up on All Blacks omission
Being a first five in New Zealand isn’t easy when you’ve got Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga competing for your position at All Blacks level.
Josh Ioane found that out the hard way over the weekend, as he was among an unlucky few to have missed out on winning selection in Ian Foster’s first-ever All Blacks squad.
Naming his first squad in his reign as head coach of the New Zealand national side, Foster opted to pick Barrett and Mo’unga as the sole first fives, with fullback Damian McKenzie also capable of covering there if need be.
It means that Ioane will have to bide his time if he is add to the sole test cap he earned against Tonga last year, despite impressing in the No. 10 jersey for the Highlanders in Super Rugby Aotearoa this season.
The 24-year-old continued that good form into the North v South clash on Saturday, providing good back-up to Mo’unga from the bench for the South before assisting Will Jordan’s match-winning try with a pinpoint cross-kick deep into injury time.
That wasn’t enough to change the selector’s minds, though, leaving Ioane to ply his trade for Otago in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Speaking to the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, the one-test star was philosophical about his omission from the national set-up, revealing he is eager to start his fourth season with Otago.
“You’ve got two of the best in the world in Beaudy and Richie, and Damian, who’s a fullback that can cover 10, so I sort of knew that [there would] potentially be no room,” Ioane said.
“I spoke to Fozzie and the feedback was quite positive. Being next in line, my job now is just go back to Mitre 10 and play well for Otago. Otago’s a lot of fun. Love playing down there with the boys.
“We’re pretty much playing the All Blacks this week in Auckland, because they’ve got so many players.
“It was a hard one. Like I said, my job now is [to] go away and try and put my best foot forward for Otago.”
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The Auckland reference stems from the fact that seven of the players named in Foster’s All Blacks squad on Sunday have been released to play for the province against Otago this weekend – more than any other provincial side in the country.
By comparison, Otago had no players named in the All Blacks squad, which could represent a tough challenge against the likes of Rieko and Akira Ioane, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Caleb Clarke, Hoskins Sotutu and Alex Hodgman in Dunedin this Saturday.
Ioane wasn’t the only player deemed unlucky not to have made Foster’s 35-man team, with standout Chiefs flanker Lachlan Boshier missing out as a result of some strong depth in the loose forwards department.
All Blacks halfback Brad Weber was among those disappointed by the openside flanker’s exclusion, but noted the physically taxing style of play that loose forwards have to endure may open a pathway for his Chiefs teammate later in the year.
“I’ve sung Lachie Boshier’s praises on here a fair bit, so a bit gutted for him, but I suppose he’s in a similar position to you, Josh, where he’s probably seen more of a seven and stuck behind Sam Cane and Ardie Savea at the moment,” Weber told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“I guess the thing is, with loose forwards especially, the attrition rate in that position, because it’s such a physical position, that generally speaking there’s injuries at some point.
“I’m sure some of those guys who have missed out will get a chance at some time throughout the year.”
Weber added that the modern day use of having two openside flankers in a starting loose forward trio, as utilised by both the Chiefs and All Blacks over the past year, could work in Boshier’s favour.
The uncapped 25-year-old was regularly named at No. 6 for the Chiefs despite his openside flanker traits, complementing franchise captain Sam Cane in the traditional No. 7 role.
That tactic was similarly used by the All Blacks last year when Ardie Savea was named at blindside flanker and often deployed as a No. 8 in the lead-up to and during the World Cup in an effort to work in tandem with Cane.
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For that reason, Weber suggested there is still plenty Boshier could offer to the All Blacks, even though he finds himself at the backend of an openside flanker logjam.
“He was playing six for us, but we were playing two sevens, really, with him and Sam,” five-test halfback Weber said of Boshier and Cane at the Chiefs.
“But, he can cover that position if need be, if they want to play that style. We were playing Ardie and Sam at seven and eight last year, so it’s not unheard of to have a slightly smaller guy at that six.
“Lachie’s not tiny, he’s still a pretty heavy boy, even though he might not look it, but I’m sure he’s been given good, positive feedback about what to take back to his Mitre 10 Cup and if he keeps knocking on the door, potentially it will open for him.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments