Blues star Rieko Ioane parks 100-game emotions for Super Rugby semifinal at Crusaders

Nobody will shout louder, smile wider or jump higher than midfielder Rieko Ioane should the Blues end what seems like a lifetime of ignominy at the hands of the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday night. But until then the soon-to-be latest Super Rugby centurion is very much parking the emotions.

In either a perverse, or delightful, twist of fate – depending on what plays out in Super Rugby Pacific’s first semifinal at Orangethrory Stadium – Ioane will earn his 100th cap for the Blues on a night that will either turn into a fairytale, or plunge into nightmare territory for the classy All Blacks centre who very much spearheads his team’s hopes.

It seems almost unfair that Ioane should shoulder the extra burden of a milestone occasion for such an important matchup as the Blues look to become the first team in Super Rugby history to defeat the Crusaders in a finals game in Christchurch. But he acknowledged after Wednesday training in Auckland that it was a juxtaposition he had quickly come to terms with. (Brother Akira also achieved the feat in Christchurch five weeks back.)

“That’s the goal,” he said when asked how special it would be to celebrate his 100th by achieving history, and a spot in the final. “There is going to be a lot of family down there. I can reflect better 90 minutes after kickoff, but for the time being it’s about parking that emotion. It’s no fairytale night if we don’t get the job done first. The sole focus was training today, then travelling well and getting a good captain’s run in tomorrow.

“They’re a tight-knit team,” he added of a Crusaders outfit who have done nothing but win championships since Scott Robertson took charge in 2017. “They know how to win those big games, and have shown that countless times. That’s where this team is looking to get to. We did a job last week; now it’s about replicating it and going even further. We know it’s a bitter rivalry and we’re looking to play the best footy on Friday.”

The numbers, history and mystique are certainly daunting, but Blues coach Leon MacDonald is adamant his reinforced team – with All Blacks wing Caleb Clarke back to start and hard-nosed loosie Adrian Choat on the bench – are not spooked by the toughest assignment in professional rugby.

Not only are the 13-time champion Crusaders 28-0 in playoffs rugby in Christchurch, they have won 17 of the last 18 matchups against the Blues, three on the bounce, and 15 of the previous 16 in Christchurch. That makes it a trip south dripping with difficulty and angst for a group not exactly renowned for owning the big moments in this competition.

But MacDonald, a former Crusader who was part of establishing the southern franchise as a true dynasty, was steadfast on the topic of their mystique as an opponent after making just the pair of lineup tweaks from last week’s dominant 41-12 quarterfinal victory over the Waratahs.

“All week we’ve spoken about how we can match them in a lot of areas, and we genuinely believe we can,” he said of a team that’s won eight of its last nine, and four in succession since a 15-3 defeat in Christchurch the last time these two teams met. “Mystique? Yeah, they’ve got an amazing record but we definitely feel we can compete across the field and back ourselves there. I don’t think our group is spooked in any way.”

Ioane, the centrepiece of a Blues backline that holds a decided edge in talent and X-factor, said it was satisfying to have come through the “ups and downs” with a franchise that has had its share of disappointing years.

“To see the growth, not only in myself, but what this team has gone through … [we’re] reaping the benefits of those harder years. It was always going to be the 09 – I’m a proud Aucklander and proud Blues man, and to bring up 100 God willing on Friday night is going to be an awesome achievement. But for now it’s only about trying to get the job done.”

In terms of the rivalry that had, in a fashion, been reignited by last year’s first victory in Christchurch in eight years, and then their rematch in the final (won 21-7 by the Crusaders to snap a 15-game Blues win streak), Ioane said it was something that “didn’t seem achievable” in his early years. “Now we feel like we’ve got the team and belief to go down and do the business.”

The return of 15-test All Black Clarke, after a week off with an ankle problem, only added to the confidence factor, reckoned MacDonald.

“He brings a point of difference around the aerial game, and his ability to beat the first defender. He’s pretty lethal close to the line as well, where he’s so powerful. It’s great to have him back.”

The Blues and Crusaders have met three times hitherto in the Super Rugby post-season – all finals – with the red and blacks leading 2-1. Ioane has 100 reasons to hope that ledger is squared around 9pm on Friday.

Blues: Zarn Sullivan, Mark Telea, Rieko Ioane, Bryce Heem, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Fin Christie; Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papalii (capt), Akira Ioane, James Tucker, Tom Robinson, Nepo Laulala, Ricky Riccitelli, Ofa Tuungafasi. Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Jordan Lay, Marcel Renata, Cameron Suafoa, Adrian Choat, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Stephen Perofeta.