North vs South: All Blacks playmaker Josh Ioane admits being torn over playing for South Island
All Blacks playmaker Josh Ioane has opened up about the conflicting emotions he feels towards having to suit up for the South Island team in the upcoming North vs South clash later this month.
The historic inter-island clash will take place for the first time in eight years at Eden Park in Auckland on August 29, effectively acting as an All Blacks trial the day before Ian Foster’s 35-man national squad is announced.
A focal point of discussion following the confirmation of the fixture was how players would be eligible to represent each island.
Where a player was born, went to school or first played senior club rugby were among the most commonly suggested eligibility criteria, but Foster revealed in June that selection would be based on what Mitre 10 Cup province each player first represented.
That’s left some of New Zealand’s top stars feeling conflicted about the side they’ll be playing for, with multiple examples of players who will represent the opposite island to that which they feel attached to.
Jordie Barrett, for instance, is only be eligible for the South Island after having initially played for Canterbury at provincial level, despite being born, raised and schooled in New Plymouth.
His older brother Beauden, meanwhile, is likely to don the No. 10 jersey for the North Island.
It works the other way as well, with Invercargill-born, Christchurch-schooled All Blacks fullback Damian McKenzie speaking out about the conflicting emotions he feels about playing for the North Island after playing for Waikato.
“Absolutely. It’s a great concept. Great for the fans and great for the players. I’ve always been keen to bring back the North v South game. Obviously growing up in Southland, that’s where my roots are – and going to school in Christchurch,” he told The Breakdown in June.
“It would be nice to be eligible to play for the South Island squad but obviously [my] first provincial game was for Waikato so that’s the rules and the eligibility. If I was to play for either team I’m happy but it looks like my hand will be up for the North Island team.”
Speaking to media on Wednesday, Highlanders pivot Ioane, who made his provincial debut for Otago three years ago, echoed McKenzie’s sentiments.
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While born in Auckland and schooled at the city’s prestigious King’s College, the one-cap All Black is reduced to the fact that he will likely don the white of the South Island jersey in three weeks’ time.
“I’m originally from Auckland, I’m a North Island boy, but I’ve been down here for a few years,” Ioane said.
“It is conflicting, like Damian [said], but I guess that’s how Fozzy sees it so we’ll go with it.”
With two rounds of Super Rugby Aotearoa remaining, there is plenty of action to be had between now and then.
Fresh off the back of a 32-21 defeat to the Blues on Sunday – a result that eliminated the Highlanders’ slim Super Rugby Aotearoa title hopes and lost them the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy for the first time in nine years – Ioane remains focused on rounding out the season on a positive note.
“That would be awesome to play in that game [North vs South], but I think for myself, there’s two massive games ahead of me that I’ve got to get through first,” he said.
“When that challenge, or if that challenge comes, then we’ll take it when it comes.”
The first stop on the Highlanders’ final fortnight of the 2020 campaign is in Christchurch on Sunday, where they face the daunting task of taking down the league-leading Crusaders in front of their home fans.
A win for the visitors will blow the title race wide open, with both the Blues and Hurricanes reliant on the Crusaders losing to keep their respective seasons alive.
That’s easier said than done against a team that had a 36-game unbeaten streak at Orangetheory Stadium up until two weeks ago, and Ioane knows how difficult the task at hand is for his side.
“We know the Crusaders are a quality side and we know what we’re up against,” the 25-year-old said.
“Every time you play the Crusaders, you know it’s going to be a big game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt 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.
26 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 🤐
19 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….
26 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….
19 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….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
3 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 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
14 Go to comments