Rieko Ioane’s outstanding pace and strength caught the eyes of the All Blacks selectors in 2016, leading to his Test debut off the bench vs Italy aged 19 years 239 days – making him the eighth-youngest All Black at the time.

He hails from Auckland Grammar and came to national attention after captaining NZ Secondary Schools in 2014. A former All Blacks Sevens representative at just 17 and part of the Rio Olympic team in 2016, Ioane’s transition to 15-a-side rugby saw him spark for the Blues with his mid-field running in the 2021 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title-winning season.

Since then he has become a mainstay for the Blacks thanks to his versatility across wing and centre, world-class try-scoring ability and international experience.