Saturday's Bledisloe Cup-clinching performance could be a coming-of-age moment for the All Blacks and Akira Ioane.
In time, we may look back at the 57-22 victory over the Wallabies as the night the team and long highly-touted prospect laid down markers to turn a significant corner.
With fits and startsthe All Blacks have hinted at their true capabilities under Ian Foster but only once previously in his short tenure – the 43-5 victory and record winning margin against the Wallabies in Sydney last year – have they put it all together in such dominant fashion.
Consistency has been the major gripe with this team. So, too, Ioane. On that front, they both have much still to prove. One compelling performance must be repeated again and again to confirm true potential. Saturday sure provides a great launchpad, though.
Much to the chagrin of some, the All Blacks have shown committed faith in Ioane.
This year's Super Rugby campaign was not one of his finest as he struggled to impose his physical presence with the Blues – partly due to their game plan of using him on the edge. Ioane spent much of this season coming off the bench, with the Blues preferring Tom Robinson at blindside. Towards the end of the season Ioane enjoyed a couple of starts at No 8 and, with those, his form and confidence grew.
On the whole, though, after usurping Shannon Frizell to finish last year as the All Blacks' preferred blindside, Ioane didn't carry that mantle through and dominate Super Rugby as one would hope. In many ways Crusaders blindside Ethan Blackadder and Frizell at the Highlanders presented more authoritative cases from a form perspective to start for the All Blacks.
Of the plethora of options the All Blacks boast for their six jersey, Ioane heads the list. Six tests into his budding All Blacks career and the position is his to lose.
It was fitting, too, that brother Rieko twice provided skip balls that set Akira on the outside for dynamic bursts against the Wallabies – the second featuring composure to carry the ball in two hands, sell a dummy and finish with Brodie Retallick's try.
Akira Ioane celebrates victory with Rieko Ioane. Photo / Photosport
As Retallick noted: "When you've got loose forwards punishing outside backs in the wide channels it makes it easier through the middle. It's awesome to watch."
With Rieko stealing an early intercept and delivering his best display at centre through a mixture of superb distribution and defence, and Akira blending hard hits in close with tough carries and eye-catching runs, the Ioanes grabbed the test by the scruff on their home patch.
"It's pretty special, you dream about it when you're young mucking around in the backyard," Akira said. "Rieko told me to try bounce on his outside and we were lucky his pass stayed up and then we punished them. He called it on the go so it's about adapting and seeing the pictures in front which made it that much easier.
"Every time you put on that jersey you want to do well. That's what I wanted to do first and foremost. I was lucky to get a few good runs and get a few hits on as well. I'm pretty stoked with my game, but I want to get better so I'll take the lessons and hopefully play in Perth."
While Dalton Papalii will be disappointed with some of his defensive duties, particularly his miss on elusive Wallabies halfback Tate McDermott, loose forwards Ioane and Ardie Savea were leading lights for the All Blacks.
At this level the elder Ioane remains in the infancy of his career. Add the consistency element to his breadth of skill, and the All Blacks' elongated search for a blindside to stand up and own the role could be over.
