Rieko Ioane

Rieko Ioane
Full nameRieko Edward Ioane
Date of birth (1997-03-18) 18 March 1997 (age 27)
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height189 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb)[1]
SchoolAuckland Grammar School
Notable relative(s)Akira Ioane (brother)
Eddie Ioane (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Current team Auckland, Blues
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015– Auckland 18 (70)
2016– Blues 109 (250)
Correct as of 4 June 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2017 Māori All Blacks 4 (5)
2016– New Zealand 69 (180)
2020 North Island 1 (10)
Correct as of 13 March 2024
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2015–2016 New Zealand 9
Correct as of 16 July 2022
Medal record
Men's Rugby union
Representing  New Zealand
Rugby World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Japan Squad
Silver medal – second place 2023 France Squad

Rieko Edward Ioane (/uɑːn/; born 18 March 1997) is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a wing or as a centre for New Zealand team Blues in Super Rugby and the New Zealand national team. In his youth career, he was selected to play in the 2014 and 2015 Sevens World Series for New Zealand and took part in Auckland Grammar School first XV, the top representative team in secondary school.[2]

Ioane represents the Auckland provincial team and made his professional debut for the union in 2015 at the age of 17. He spent a season at the Mitre 10 Cup side, before earning a place in the Blues 2016 Super Rugby squad. He won a championship with Auckland in 2018 and was named Tom French Māori Player of the Year, NZRU Sevens Player of the Year, and World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year.

Ioane made his senior international debut for New Zealand in November 2016 at the age of 19, becoming one of the youngest players to represent New Zealand's All Blacks.[3] Ioane has been named in many of the New Zealand squads since his debut, missing few tests due to injury. Ioane was controversially only used once in the Rugby World Cup pool stages in 2019 against Canada but was named in the New Zealand squad against Wales in the bronze final.

He was nominated for the World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018.

  1. ^ a b "Rieko Ioane player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Rieko Ioane Sevens Profile". 2 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Youngest appearance". ESPN Scrum. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.