The news that Rieko Ioane has agreed a seven-month contract with Leinster, believed to be worth in the region of €250,000 according to reports in New Zealand, came out of the blue on Wednesday morning and has again opened up the debate about the funding of the four professional sides on the island.
He will join Leinster after the November Test window in time for the Champions Cup matches and in doing so replicate an arrangement that took his midfield partner in the All Blacks team, Jordie Barrett, from New Zealand to Dublin for the second half of the current season.
Ioane is likely to be part of the New Zealand team to face Ireland at Soldier Field, Chicago on November 1st, the opening match of four Tests in that window for Andy Farrell’s side.
Ioane announced the move on Instagram, along with a computer-generated picture of him sporting a Leinster jersey: “What’s up fam just wanted to announce, I’ll be heading to Leinster at the end of the year on a sabbatical break. It’s an exciting opportunity to play in Ireland for an iconic team, grow my game and experience something different with my family. Will be back refreshed and ready to rock the second half of 2026. Until then locked in with my blues brothers.”
The New Zealander’s decision – he is under contract to the All Blacks up to and including the 2027 World Cup – to choose to play in Ireland and Leinster rather than Japan is not without some irony given his very public spat with Ireland captain Johnny Sexton at the end of the 2023 World Cup quarter-final at the Stade de France.
Sexton wrote about the spat in his autobiography, claiming that Ioane had told him: “Don’t miss your flight home tomorrow. Enjoy retirement, you c***.”
Sexton went on to write: “So much for the All Blacks’ famous “no d********” policy. There was a little bit of verbal residue on social media between the players subsequently.
Ioane led the Haka when the All Blacks played at the Aviva Stadium last November as the visitors ended Ireland’s 19-match unbeaten run, and he then posted a picture to social media with the caption, “put that in the book,” to copper-fasten his role as the pantomime villain.
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The 28-year-old can play centre and wing, and he represents another statement signing for Leinster who have already agreed contract extensions with current non-Irish qualified players RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani.
Ioane’s signing is sure to cause a meltdown among some supporters of Munster, Ulster and Connacht. The IRFU has sanctioned the deal so it’s likely that most of the flak will be heading their way.
The union’s announcement on Tuesday of the financial restructuring of the national player contracts (11 Leinster, two Connacht, one Munster) where provinces will contribute 40 per cent rather than 30 per cent from August 1st, 2026, and that the extra money accrued (in the region of €1.5 million) will go to the player development pathways in Munster, Connacht and Ulster, is an attempt to future-proof rugby in Ireland.
Ioane was 17-years-old when he made his senior debut for the Blues and 19 when he debuted for the All Blacks, for whom he has gone on to win 81 caps and scored 37 tries. It will be interesting to see where Leinster choose to play him, as he’s essentially a strike-runner rather than a bastion of creativity. Barrett is more of a playmaker so it’s not a like-for-like replacement.
Leinster’s first-choice, home-grown midfield pairing is Garry Ringrose (30) and Robbie Henshaw (31), while Jamie Osborne (23) and Ciarán Frawley (27) have also played in the midfield. Academy duo Charlie Tector (23), who has made a significant impact at inside centre this season having switched from outhalf, and Hugh Cooney (21) are hugely promising young players.
Jimmy O’Brien (28) and Tommy O’Brien (26) can also play in the centre, although both of late have featured regularly on the wing. Centres Liam Turner (25) and academy prospect Ben Brownlee (22) are expected to leave the province in the summer.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: “We are thrilled to confirm the signing of Rieko on a seven-month contract which will come into effect after this year’s Autumn Nations Series fixtures. Similar to our current arrangement with Jordie, we’d like to thank the NZRU for their help facilitating the move.
“Rieko is a world-class, 81-cap All Black who has been operating at the very top level of the international game and Super Rugby for many seasons.
“He is an exciting, versatile outside back who will bring pace, rugby skills and experience to Leinster. That experience will add massive value to the group here and our younger players especially will learn so much from seeing how Rieko prepares, trains and plays.
“We can’t wait to welcome Rieko to Leinster and I’m sure all our supporters will join me in making him and his family feel at home when the time comes.”
A Leinster statement also included a message from Ioane. He said: “I’m looking forward to this exciting opportunity to play in Ireland and for Leinster, and to grow my game with such an iconic club with a rich history.
“I’m also looking forward to opening myself and my family up to new experiences away from home and to growing together in a new environment. I’d like to thank Leo and Leinster Rugby for the opportunity and NZRU and my Blues brothers.
“We’ve work to do yet this season, and I’m locked in for that, but I look forward to touching down in Dublin later this year and meeting all the Leinster supporters.”
