All Blacks wing Rieko Ioane warns ‘dangerous’ France are no B-team
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New Zealand's Rieko Ioane has warned his team not to underestimate a weakened France side.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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DUNEDIN – All Blacks wing Rieko Ioane said on July 3 that he expects the French players to be highly motivated, especially after being labelled a B-team ahead of the three-match series against New Zealand.
France has sent a 37-strong squad including 20 uncapped players to New Zealand for the three-Test rugby series, which kicks off on July 5 in Dunedin.
Coach Fabien Galthie on July 3 named eight debutants, including five starters, in a depleted squad for their opening match.
Tom Spring is set to make his debut on the right wing, while Joris Segonds will earn his first cap at fly-half.
Alexandre Fischer will earn his first cap in the third row, Tyler Duguid in the second row and Giorgi Beria as prop.
But Ioane, who has been moved from centre to the wing by coach Scott Robertson for the first time in four years, said he was not viewing France as a B-team. “If I was that team travelling over here, I would have that chip on my shoulder, you know,” he said.
“Everyone’s calling them a B-team, but they aren’t. The energy they bring, and the intensity that they train at, will be at a level that some of their players who are at home would bring during a Test week.
“So if anything, they’re more of a dangerous beast than we’re going to be used to, and we’ve got to expect everything.”
Former All Blacks have been vocal in their criticism of the weakened French squad.
Ex-scrum-half Justin Marshall told Sky Sport that the squad was “total BS” and France were sending only a development team.
New Zealand media have highlighted that 11 of the 20 new caps do not have Wikipedia pages. “I know there’s been a lot of talk about it, but I’m not sure that the players would feel that way,” Ioane added.
“We know that there’s going to be a huge challenge no matter who is out there.”
He also said the All Blacks were focused on their own game, and would not be distracted by who they play against. He said he has had enough to think about playing on the wing for the All Blacks for the first time since 2021.
“Yeah, look, it’s been getting the rust off the first couple of days,” Ioane admitted.
“Was pretty good that we had that camp up in Auckland. I’m going to be comfortable by the time game day rolls around. My connection with Billy (Proctor), Will (Jordan), Sevu (Reece), and everyone around me is growing.”
At the end of the year, Ioane will move abroad for a six-month sabbatical with Irish side Leinster.
It comes after Jordie Barrett completed a sabbatical at the club, praising the physicality of the game in the Northern Hemisphere.
Ioane famously shushed Irish fans after New Zealand’s quarter-final victory at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He also ended up in a war of words with Ireland’s Johnny Sexton. AFP, REUTERS
