‘Feeling fit and fast': Rieko Ioane could pose a threat to the Springboks

With Caleb Clarke and Billy Proctor both sent home with serious injuries, Rieko Ioane could be in line for a bigger role for the All Blacks during the Greatest Rivalry tour.

The 29-year-old, who appears to have rediscovered his form since returning to the All Blacks camp, has been one of Dave Rennie’s standout performers since arriving in South Africa.

Ioane started on the left wing against the Stormers and was moved to outside centre for the Bulls clash, which the All Blacks won 50-19.

That versatility could work in his favour given the number of injuries the All Blacks have suffered before even taking on the Springboks.

Ioane, who’s got 89 caps to his name, didn’t feature for the All Blacks during the Nations Championship but was drafted in for this tour.

Rennie initially viewed him as a wing option who could cover at centre, but his performances have seemingly changed that thinking, with the coach now viewing him as a centre who can cover on the wing.

Ioane will most likely feature in the midfield, with the All Blacks well-stocked on the wing through Josh Moorby, Leroy Carter and Fehi Fineanganofo.

The former Leinster man, however, doesn’t mind where he plays, but instead just wants a shot.

“Like I said before I came over, I sort of had a mindset change,” he said after the Bulls game in Pretoria.

“Anywhere I’m put, I just want to do my best for the team. Hopefully I’ve been showing that through my performances.

“There is definitely a step up from where I was when I was last in an All Blacks jersey.”

Ioane has faced the Springboks 15 times in his 10-year career, and his last outing against the World Champions was in 2025 in Auckland.

He’s enjoyed relative success during that period, winning seven Tests, drawing one and losing seven.

While he admitted that the All Blacks had made significant strides in their warm-up matches against the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls, Ioane knows the Boks will be a totally different beast.

“Again, it’s going to be another step up,” he said.

“We’re going to have to take that step forward as well. We know how hard the Boks are to play for, for one, more so at home, so we expect everything.

“They are going to throw the kitchen sink at us, and we look forward to that next week.”

Ioane’s sabbatical to Leinster over the past URC season seems to have done wonders for him.

He revealed that he lost some weight, and that’s positively impacted his mindset on and off the field.

“I dropped between four and five kilos, so I’m feeling light, feeling fast and feeling fit.

“Just my time away since coming back, I’m feeling really refreshed.

“It’s not so much on the field but off the field as well; I’m just loving where I’m at the moment, physically and mentally, and long may it continue.”

Ioane will hope his performances against the Stormers and Bulls were enough to convince Dave Rennie to select him for his first All Blacks Test since November 2025.