Rieko Ioane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rieko Ioane

Ioane playing in 2018
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 Leinster Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2015–2016 Auckland 18 (70) 2016–2025 Blues 127 (275) 2025– Leinster 0 (0) Correct as of 13 June 2025 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2015–2017 Māori All Blacks 4 (5) 2016– New Zealand 83 (190) Correct as of 23 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 professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He is known for his speed and skill as a centre or wing. Ioane has played for the New Zealand All Blacks since 2016. He recently joined the Irish team Leinster after a long career with the Blues in Super Rugby.

Early Life and Family

Rieko Ioane was born in Auckland, New Zealand. His parents are Eddie Ioane and Sandra Wihongi. When he was young, his family moved to Japan because his father played professional rugby there.

After returning to New Zealand, Rieko attended Auckland Grammar School. He was so talented that he was chosen for the school's top rugby team, the first XV, when he was only sixteen.

A Family of Rugby Stars

Rugby runs in the Ioane family. His older brother, Akira Ioane, also plays for the Blues and the Māori All Blacks. Their father, Eddie, played for Samoa in the 1991 Rugby World Cup. Their mother, Sandra, was a lock for the Black Ferns, New Zealand's women's national team.

Starting in Sevens Rugby

Ioane first became known in the world of Sevens rugby, a faster version of the game with only seven players per team. He made his debut for the New Zealand Sevens team in 2015 at just 17 years old.

A year later, he was part of the team that competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics. That same year, he won the award for All Blacks Sevens Player of The Year.

Professional Rugby Career

Ioane started his professional career at a very young age. He was signed by Auckland in 2015 and the Blues in 2016. He quickly became a key player for both teams. When he first played for Auckland, he was only 17, making him one of the youngest provincial players in New Zealand's history.

Joining the All Blacks

In 2016, Ioane was called up to join the famous All Blacks. He made his first appearance on November 12, 2016, in a match against Italy. He even scored his first try in that game, helping the All Blacks to a big 68-10 win. At 19 years old, he became the eighth-youngest player ever to debut for the All Blacks.

A Breakout Year in 2017

The year 2017 was huge for Ioane. He started the Super Rugby season by scoring a hat-trick (three tries) in the first game for the Blues. He ended the season as one of the top try-scorers in the competition.

That year, the British & Irish Lions toured New Zealand. Ioane played amazingly well against them, both for the Blues and the All Blacks. In the first Test match for the All Blacks, he scored two tries, helping New Zealand win 30-15.

He continued to be a star player throughout the 2017 Rugby Championship, finishing as the joint top try-scorer. His incredible performances earned him a nomination for World Rugby Player of the Year. He won the award for Breakthrough Player of the Year.

Success from 2018 to 2022

Ioane gathers the ball during a match in 2018.

Ioane continued to be a star player for the Blues and the All Blacks. In 2018, he scored his first international hat-trick in a match against France. He was the top try-scorer in the 2018 Rugby Championship.

He was part of New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, where the team finished in third place. In 2021, he helped the Blues win the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition. The next year, he was a key player in the Blues team that reached the Super Rugby final.

A New Chapter in 2025

In April 2025, it was announced that Ioane would be moving to Ireland. He joined the team Leinster to play in the URC. This move marks a new stage in his exciting rugby career.

Career Statistics

This table shows some of Rieko Ioane's statistics for his club teams.

Club	Year	Competition	GP	GS	TRY	CON	PEN	DGL	PTS	WL%
Auckland	2015	Bunnings NPC (incl. Ranfurly Shield)	6	2	2	0	0	0	10	83.33	0	0
	2016		9	9	10	0	0	0	50	44.44	0	0
	2019		1	1	1	0	0	0	5	100.00	0	0
	2020		2	2	1	0	0	0	5	50.00	0	0
Blues	2016	Super Rugby Pacific	5	5	2	0	0	0	10	60.00	0	0
	2017		15	14	11	0	0	0	55	53.33	0	0
	2018		15	15	10	0	0	0	50	26.67	0	0
	2019		14	14	9	0	0	0	45	35.71	0	0
	2020		11	11	5	0	0	0	25	72.73	1	0
	2021†		14	14	3	0	0	0	15	71.43	0	0
	2022		12	12	5	0	0	0	25	83.33	0	0
Career			103	99	59	0	0	0	295	53.26	1	0

Updated: 21 June 2022 Source: Rieko E Ioane Rugby History

List of International Tries

This is a list of the tries Rieko Ioane has scored for the All Blacks.

Updated: 22 September 2024 Source: Rieko E Ioane Statsguru

Honours

New Zealand

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

Individual

2x World Rugby Player of the Year nominee

• 2017, 2018

Blues Super Rugby Pacific Champions: 2024

See also

In Spanish: Rieko Ioane para niños