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'It is a completely different beast': All Blacks preparing for a different style to Ireland says Rieko Ioane

By Ben Smith
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

The All Blacks have arrived in South Africa in preparation for their first game there in four years but despite the long break, Rieko Ioane is under no illusions about what they will meet in Mbombela.

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Ioane’s first trip to South Africa came in his debut test season in 2017 where he scored a long-range intercept try in the 25-24 win at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

Few would have predicted the close encounter after the first meeting between the sides in Albany where the All Blacks recorded a record 57-0 result, but playing South Africa at home is a ‘different beast’.

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“It’s a game that prior to the four-year absence everyone has looked forward to. We as players look forward to coming here,” Ioane said of this week’s match.

“To have that break and not have that annual game over here, it builds the hype, especially on the outside.”

On his second trip over during the 2018 Rugby Championship, Ioane scored another try in a miraculous comeback that saw the All Blacks clinch a 32-30 victory in Pretoria.

“Some of the toughest games I’ve had in the black jersey have been over here, you think back to the last time we were here [in 2018], it went beyond the 80 minutes,” he said.

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“We really had to dig deep. The hardest games in the toughest places to play are the ones that you want to be a part of.”

After an extended absence there are many young All Blacks who do not have any experience playing the Springboks at home, whilst the absence of their teams in Super Rugby also means that this is the first trip for many to South Africa.

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Ioane said that the team specifically gathered the first-timers for a meeting to help prepare them for what to expect when they run out on the field at Mbombela Stadium, the home of South Africa’s 2010 Football World Cup.

“We had a meeting with all the boys that haven’t been here, as you said, because we don’t have them [South African teams] in Super Rugby,” he said.

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“There is quite a few boys that haven’t been here and haven’t experienced the crowds, or South Africa at home.

“It’s definitely going to be a new experience for them but it’s going to be an awesome one.

“The first time I travelled here, I loved it.”

“The landscape here is very different to all the places we have been, Cape Town, Jo’burg, so again it is something new to us older boys.”

The All Blacks will have to adjust to altitude quickly but Ioane is hopeful that it won’t be the defining factor in the result this weekend.

“It’s something that we have to build over the course of the week. There isn’t any magic secret or recipe to solving that,” he said.

“There are going to be boys that struggle to sleep or whatever, but it’s about getting on once we are between those white lines.

“It’s about being the best team we can. The altitude does play a factor but it shouldn’t be too big a factor.”

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After losing four of their last five test matches, Ioane says the All Blacks are determined to get better in all areas and is hoping the backs will fire.

“There is plenty of stuff to work on, we as backs need to fire as well,” he said.

“We are coming up against a world class outfit, especially in their backs so we need to get better all over the park, whether on attack or D.

“It is a completely different beast that we are facing this week.”

Ioane has scored five tries in his seven tests against Springboks, including two from his two tests in South Africa but hasn’t crossed the chalk yet so far in 2022 playing in the midfield against Ireland.

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Trevor 1 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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