WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Success in international rugby has come quickly to winger Rieko Ioane who will make his first test start for the All Blacks in Saturday’s first test against the British and Irish Lions.
Ioane was only 17 when he was first named in the New Zealand team to play in the World Rugby Series, and he was the eighth-youngest player to play a test for the All Blacks when he made his debut against Italy last year aged 19 years, 239 days.
On Saturday, aged 20, he will start a test for the first time after being named ahead of 53-test veteran Julian Savea on the left in the All Blacks lineup.