At the age of 20, one expected Rieko Ioane to infuse a careless, youthful vim in the All Blacks' play in this morning's first Test, yet he arrived - in comparative terms - as a grizzled veteran of Lions tours, this being his third appearance against them on this tour. To the tourists' detriment, Ioane brought the form he showed for the Blues, rather than the Maori into today's game, scoring two of New Zealand's tries in a 30-15 victory.
While he has been a nightmare for the Lions thus far (Jack Nowell's confidence is only just returning), Ioane has been far kinder to one of the tourists' supporters: he's had a travelling Lions fan sleeping on his floor.
The story was regaled by his mother, Sandra Ioane, to New Zealand radio station, Newstalk ZB. The Lions fan in question is called Alex, and Mrs. Ioane found him meandering about a local rugby club. Here's how she tells the story:
I was at the club and he turned up and we're were having a chat and I said can I help you?
He said, 'I've come to park up and sleep in my van' so I thought that's no good and decided to take him home with me.
I rang my husband and said I think I'm going to bring this guy home - a Lions supporter.
The boys were out at the time but they came home 10 minutes later and I said 'these are my sons'. He didn't click. Then were were having a cup of tea and he said 'Those boys, I've seen them before somewhere?' I said no, no way.
He ended up staying on a mattress on the floor. I showed him where the toilet and shower was and said make yourself at home.
He clicked when the boys said they had to get themselves ready for the Blues game. The boys sat there and chatted with him but he wasn't very happy after he came home after the Blues game.
After the Blues game Alex went down with some of his mates shaking their hands like they were good buddies and his mates asked him how he knew them.
He told them 'I'm staying at their house' and then he told the boys he'd see them when they got home!
We were happy to take him in, that's what you do.
He text me to say he was celebrating after the Lions beat the Maori and also to congratulate us when Rieko was selected in the All Blacks team.
Magnificent!
See Also: Lions Players Ratings From A Disappointing Defeat To The All Blacks
