Rieko Ioane under pressure to retain All Blacks' starting spot

By Liam Napier

For the first time in four years, since his permanent shift to the midfield, Rieko Ioane is under genuine heat to retain his starting centre status for the All Blacks.

From 2021 until this season, through the bulk of Ian Foster’s All Blacks tenure, Ioane was largely locked in the No 13 jersey to the point his selection was rarely questioned.

Ioane has, since mid-2022 when the All Blacks reluctantly moved Jordie Barrett from fullback to second five-eighths, cemented his midfield combination with the now national vice-captain.

The Barrett-Ioane midfield pairing possesses the yin and yang midfield elements of power and pace and has at times performed with distinction on the test scene.

This year, though, the ushering in of a new All Blacks coaching regime coupled with the continued and contrasting rise of Hurricanes centre Billy Proctor has definitively altered the midfield dynamic.

With Anton Lienert-Brown delivering a standout performance in the All Blacks’ third July test, too, Ioane now has two in-form challengers pressing hard for his jersey.

This is why who starts at centre is the most intriguing selection decision for the opening Rugby Championship test against the Pumas in Wellington this weekend.

It would be a surprise, given their conservative selection nature to date, for Scott Robertson’s coaching crew to drop Ioane without giving him a chance to respond to said challengers.

As the incumbent, Ioane has earned that right. But respond he must.

Context is needed when assessing Proctor’s compelling All Blacks debut in the 47-5 rout of Fiji in San Diego. While he impressed with his timing, vision and distribution, Proctor did not face the all-consuming defensive line speed pressure the All Blacks struggled to counter in their two tense victories against England.

Fiji’s defence was loose – missing 55 tackles – while offering ample time and space compared to England’s smothering missile approach. The All Blacks also savoured consistent front-foot ball against Fiji and their set piece, particularly the vastly improved lineout, presented a highly desirable attacking platform which allowed the backline to thrive.

As Barrett noted, the All Blacks attack is attempting to adjust its depth and tactics to cater to their opposition.

“We faced a team full of line speed in England. Fiji were a little bit different in that space and Argentina might present a different challenge for us too,” Barrett said as the All Blacks prepare for the Pumas. “We’re having to evolve our game every time we come into camp and that’s been a challenge the past few days but one we’re looking forward to.”

Ioane, should he be reinstated alongside Barrett for the Pumas, must rise to the internal challenge.

Proctor is considered a strong defensive asset but his point of difference, and standout feature against Fiji, was the way he set his wings, Caleb Clarke in particular, away in space.

These subtitles to Proctor’s game apply pressure for Ioane to feed his outsides in a similar vein.

While Proctor has been widely lauded for his dynamic debut against Fiji, Lienert-Brown was arguably more impressive. With a direct, powerful performance from second five that mirrored Barrett’s impact, Lienert-Brown laid the grunt work for Proctor to shine and ensured his experienced presence remains prevalent in the evolving midfield debate.

Lienert-Brown’s versatility to switch seamlessly between second-five and centre leaves him suited to cover both midfield briefs from the bench. Ioane and Proctor are, meanwhile, locked in a head-to-head battle with one likely to miss out on the match-day squad.

That’s a contest sure to evolve throughout this year. While Proctor, following one compelling test start, might not be on Ioane’s level yet he presents a contrasting alternative. His established Super Rugby partnership with Barrett is another factor in his favour – as is former Hurricanes coach Jason Holland’s presence in the All Blacks coaching team.

With Damian McKenzie expected to retain the starting playmaking reins and Barrett locked in at second-five, centre is suddenly one of the All Blacks’ most hotly contested positions.

Robertson demonstrated the necessary ruthless edge by cutting Blues halfback Finlay Christie loose from his Rugby Championship squad. Centre is another case where loyalty to the incumbent will be tested.

“All the midfielders offer something a little bit different,” McKenzie said. “They’re great footballers. It’s great to have that power outside me and let them do their thing. It’s a good test and competition in that area and that’s what you need when you get to this level. It’s about competing at training and putting your hand up for selection. We’ve got some of the best midfielders we can put out there.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission