All Blacks coach Steve Hansen includes winger Rieko Ioane for November tour
New Zealand face Ireland twice as well as Italy and France in the United States and Europe next month following Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup win over Australia
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has called up 19-year-old outside back Rieko Ioane to the New Zealand squad for next month’s tour of the United States and Europe.
The world champions, who became the first top tier nation to win 18 consecutive test matches with their 37-10 victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park on Saturday, kick off the tour against Ireland at Chicago’s Soldier Field on November 5.
They face Italy a week later in Rome, Ireland again on November 19 in Dublin, before rounding out the tour in Paris against France the following Saturday.
Hansen said the tour represented another step in the “re-establishment” of the side following the loss of six stalwarts, including all-time greats Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, after the 2015 World Cup.
Watch: New Zealand squad named
“We welcome in Rieko, who has been picked for the first time. He has shown tremendous abilities and deserves his opportunity,” Hansen said.