Rugby: Sonny Bill Williams return hails new future for Rieko Ioane

Sonny Bill Williams passes during a Blues Super Rugby training session. Photo / Getty

The return of Sonny Bill Williams after a seven week lay-off due to a broken wrist instantly makes the Blues a better team.

Not necessarily for what he brings – although his rigid, aggressive defence and ability to offload in the congested midfield will help – but because his presence has shelved for now the experiment of using Rieko Ioane at second-five.

Using Ioane at No 12 as the Blues have done for much of this year hasn't quite been in the disastrous experimental category of the Chiefs using Sione Lauaki as their captain in 2011, but nor has it provided much, if any, definitive evidence that it has been a selection masterstroke.

Each time Ioane has played at second-five it has been impossible not to wonder how different the outcome would have been had Ioane been cantering into acres of space rather than smashing into bodies on the gainline.

There will be no need to imagine this Friday as Williams' return has paved the way for Ioane to play on the right wing against the Hurricanes and give the emerging Ben Lam the toughest test of his blossoming career.

The 21-year-old Ioane played most of his school and age-grade football at centre, but has predominantly been used on the wing since he broke into the Blues in 2016.

And it was on the wing where he was used to such devastating effect by the All Blacks last year.

Ioane finished the season as World Rugby's breakthrough player of the year having taken possession of the All Blacks No 11 jersey where he showed an extraordinary ability to beat players with a combination of pace, agility and power.

He's thought to be the quickest player in the country and the All Blacks will use him as a wing for the foreseeable future.

They like him in that role where he has a roving commission to relentlessly attack and pop up where he feels like.

But Blues coach Tana Umaga is convinced that Ioane's long term future lies in the No 12 jersey.

Umaga, who seamlessly transitioned from wing to centre to second-five in his playing career, believes Ioane is equipped to jump between the three roles in much the same way, but will end up at No 12.

"I think his future is as a midfielder," says Umaga. "I think he has the capabilities to be a very good 12…one of the best. I see some of the traits – we also have Sonny Bill here who he is learning from - in terms of he's got the confidence and rugby nous.

"He's very good communicator and defender and his distribution skills are coming along. If you think of our other 12s that have done well for us, Sonny and Ma'a [Nonu] they were renowned as runners first. But then they become threats all over the place. I am not saying he's the finished article but he's got a big future there."

As such Umaga's been willing, through the Blues' recent injury crises, to show his conviction and frequently select Ioane at No 12.

But while Umaga may be right about Ioane's longer term future, there should now be a realization that for the remainder of this campaign, the Blues need the youngster on the wing where he can play the role of finisher rather than basher.

Right now the Blues need others to be working Ioane into space, not Ioane working others into space. They need him free, unrestricted and playing on the wider reaches of the field rather than in the heavy traffic.

Ioane being as gifted as he is, has made a reasonable fist of things at second-five.
But that's the hallmark of hugely talented players with broad skill sets – they can be thrown almost any jersey and make a high impact contribution.

Beauden Barrett could probably play at centre or wing almost as well as he does at first-five and fullback, while the same is true of the likes of Ben Smith and before he retired, Brian O'Driscoll.

Ioane has shown that yes he can play the role of straight-running midfielder, but everyone is going to be a lot happier seeing him return to the more natural place of free-spirited wing.