All Blacks: Steve Hansen hails 'phenomenal' Rieko Ioane

Rieko Ioane of New Zealand. Photo / AAP.

For all the injuries in the back three this season, the combined efforts of the lethal All Blacks wings in Cardiff speaks to New Zealand's riches in this area.

No Israel Dagg, Ben Smith or Nehe Milner-Skudder, all of whom have featured regularly on the right wing. And yet the All Blacks can turn to Waisake Naholo, who scores four tries in four matches on this northern tour and sets up others along the way.

On the other edge what a year it has been for Rieko Ioane, this 20-year-old wunderkind. From pushing Julian Savea, a bloke with 46 tries in 54 tests now waiting on the periphery for another chance, out of the squad to being nominated for two World Rugby awards, Ioane's talent seems endless.

The patchy nature of his temporary moustache highlights his youth, and what more there is to come.

On this tour alone he's bounced back from the mumps, and recovered inside a week from what was first thought to be a serious shoulder injury.

"I couldn't lift it up after the game," Ioane said after scoring two tries and having a hand in two more as the All Blacks put Wales away 33-18. "Doc did a special treatment on it and a couple of days rest did it wonders. It was a bit touch and go even towards the latter end of the week but it came through alright and now it feels pretty good.

"It's been a pretty disruptive tour with everything that's been going on. I'm happy the medical team and coaches kept faith in me and put me out on the field both times. I was pretty pleased with how everything went."

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen sure was pleased with his star wing's healing powers.

"Thank goodness his shoulder came right that's all I can say. He's phenomenal," Hansen said. "If we can keep his feet on the floor he could go anywhere that kid.

"He's got something a lot of other people don't have, namely myself, and that's pace. Every time he gets the ball you think 'wow, what's going to happen?' He only needs half a yard because he is so quick and he's strong with it."

While not quite as spectacular, Naholo's tour has been just as successful.

"He has just got better and better with the confidence of playing. He's pretty special too. Both of them tonight were big contributors to the team right around the park. They score tries and we all see that but there's other stuff they did as well which was good."

Naholo doesn't possess the same strength under the high ball as Dagg and Smith but he has finally established his presence at this level after his first genuine sustained run in the No 14 jersey.

His finishing ability was on show with two clutch tries – nailing both chances in minimal space to double his tour tally.

Naholo is more than a finisher, too. Against the Barbarians at Twickenham he created two tries with offloads, and he's also superb over the ball. The forwards can't accuse him of being a pretty boy who stands on the wing waiting for the glory.

"We get told that by the props so getting turnovers in the wide channels is pretty good it gets other teams thinking about wide breakdowns as well. I always love getting turnovers.

"I enjoy going into the breakdown and trying to compete for the ball. I work with Sam Cane and the loosies at training sometimes and they really help me a lot. I'm trying to get in there and make a difference.

"I've really enjoyed taking the opportunity without Dagg and those senior guys there. I'm not really worrying about selection every week."