Rieko Ioane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rieko Ioane

Full name	Rieko Edward Ioane
Date of birth	(1997-03-18) 18 March 1997 (age 28)
Place of birth	Auckland, New Zealand
Height	189 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	103 kg (227 lb; 16 st 3 lb)
School	Auckland 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 112 (250) Correct as of 22 June 2024 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2015–2017 Māori All Blacks 4 (5) 2016– New Zealand 80 (185) Correct as of 16 November 2024 National sevens team(s) Years Team Comps 2015–2016 New Zealand 9 Correct as of 5 November 2024

Rieko Edward Ioane (born 18 March 1997) is a famous New Zealand rugby union player. He usually plays as a Centre or Wing. He plays for the Blues team in Super Rugby and for Auckland in the Bunnings NPC competition.

Rieko Ioane's Early Life and Family

Rieko Edward Ioane was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 18 March 1997. His parents are Sandra Wihongi and Eddie Ioane. When he was young, his family moved to Japan. This was because his father got a job playing professional rugby union there for the Ricoh Black Rams.

Rieko went to Auckland Grammar School in New Zealand. He started playing for the school's top rugby team when he was only sixteen years old. He played for them for two years.

A Family of Rugby Players

Rieko has an older brother named Akira Ioane. Akira also plays rugby for the Māori All Blacks, the Blues, Auckland, and the New Zealand Sevens team.

Their parents were also great rugby players! Their father, Eddie Ioane, played for Samoa internationally. He even played in the 1991 Rugby World Cup. Their mother, Sandra Wihongi, played for the Black Ferns, which is New Zealand's national women's rugby team.

Starting in Sevens Rugby

When Rieko was 17, he played his first Sevens rugby game. This was at the 2015 Wellington Sevens tournament. Just one year later, he joined the New Zealand Sevens Team for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Later that year, Rieko won the award for "All Blacks Sevens Player of The Year".

Rieko Ioane's Professional Rugby Career

Starting Strong: 2015–2017

Rieko joined the Auckland team in 2015 and the Blues in 2016. He quickly became a regular player for both teams. He was only 17 when he first played for Auckland. This made him one of the youngest players ever to play at a provincial level in New Zealand.

In 2016, Rieko was called up to play for the senior New Zealand squad, also known as the All Blacks. He made his first game for the All Blacks on 12 November 2016 against Italy. He scored his first try for the All Blacks in that game, helping them win 68-10. At 19 years old, he was one of the youngest players to ever debut for the All Blacks.

Rieko Ioane playing for the All Blacks in 2018.

In 2017, Rieko had an amazing start to the Super Rugby season. He scored three tries in the very first game! He was one of the top try-scorers for the Blues that year, with 10 tries.

Rieko was also chosen for the All Blacks team to play against the British & Irish Lions in 2017. He was the youngest player in the squad. In the first game against the Lions, he scored two tries, helping New Zealand win 30-15. He played a big part in the All Blacks' success that year.

He became a regular starter for the All Blacks during the 2017 Rugby Championship. He was even named "Man of the Match" against Australia. He finished the tournament as one of the highest try-scorers. Rieko also won the "Breakthrough Player of the Year" award in 2017.

Continued Success: 2018

Rieko Ioane, gathering the ball, at Eden Park against the Chiefs, March 2018

In 2018, Rieko continued to play very well for the Blues. He scored 10 tries, making him the Blues' top try-scorer again. His great playing helped him keep his spot as a regular player for the All Blacks.

On 9 June 2018, Rieko scored two tries against France. He scored his first international hat-trick (three tries in one game) on 23 June 2018 against France. This was a big achievement! He was the first All Black to score a hat-trick in over two years.

Even though he missed two games due to injury, Rieko was the top try-scorer in the 2018 Rugby Championship. He scored 5 tries in that competition. By the end of 2018, he had scored 21 tries in just 20 international games!

Rugby World Cup and Beyond: 2019-2023

Rieko was part of the All Blacks squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He scored one try in the tournament against Canada. New Zealand finished in third place at the World Cup that year.

In 2020, Rieko played for the North Island team in a special match against the South Island.

In 2021, Rieko helped the Blues win the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition. He also played 13 games for the All Blacks and scored 5 tries.

In 2022, Rieko was a key player for the Blues as they reached the final of the Super Rugby Pacific.

On 16 April 2023, New Zealand Rugby announced that Rieko Ioane had signed a new contract. This means he will continue to play for New Zealand until the end of 2027.

Rieko Ioane's International Tries

Here is a list of the tries Rieko Ioane has scored in international test matches:

Updated: 22 September 2024 Source: Rieko E Ioane Statsguru

Awards and Achievements

New Zealand

• Rugby World Cup / Webb Ellis Cup
  • Third place: 2019
  • Second place: 2023

Individual Awards

• He was nominated twice for the World Rugby Player of the Year award, in 2017 and 2018.
• He won the "Blues Super Rugby Pacific Champions" award in 2024.

Images for kids

• 

  Rieko Ioane playing for the All Blacks in 2018.

• 

  Rieko Ioane, gathering the ball, at Eden Park against the Chiefs, March 2018

See also

In Spanish: Rieko Ioane para niños