Rieko Ioane scores a hat-trick of tries as Blues destroy Rebels 56-18

TEEN sensation Rieko Ioane scored a hat-trick as the Blues made mincemeat of the hapless Rebels with a 56-18 rout in the Super Rugby season opener at AAMI Park. Watch the video!

Teen sensation Rieko Ioane has a hat-trick as the Blues make mincemeat of the hapless Rebels.

TEEN sensation Rieko Ioane scored a hat-trick as the Blues made mincemeat of the hapless Rebels in a 56-18 rout in the Super Rugby season opener at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.

Ioane, 19 and already a two-cap All Black, first pounced on an ill-advised Jordy Reid pass to score an intercept try on the stroke of halftime.

His best try was his second — a brilliant individual run leaving a trail of would-be Rebels defenders in his wake.

The centre then completed his hat-trick in the second half via an assist from older brother Akira before being subbed for a well-earned rest.

Talking to Fox Sports after the match, a humble Ioane said he expected Sonny Bill Williams’ return from an Achilles injury to shunt him out to the wing later in the season.

“First half, there were a bit of first-game jitters,” Ioane said.

“The boys had a huge pre-season so we knew that if we just stuck to our process, something would come about.

“And we did that and the team was pretty happy.”

But Blues coach Tana Umaga must be salivating at the prospect of combining the power-packed duo of SBW and Ioane in midfield.

“It’s the first game of the season and there’s still a lot of things to work on,” Umaga said.

“But the pleasing thing for us is that we stayed in the fight and we came out the other end with the rewards.”

WATCH THE HAT-TRICK VIDEO IN THE PLAYER ABOVE!

Rieko Ioane of the Blues avoids a tackle to score a try at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

Ioane was a New Zealand sevens team-mate of Williams at the Rio Olympics last year.

He stands 1.89m, weighs 102kg and scored his first try for the All Blacks against Italy last year.

Brother Akira, a No 8, is 21 and boasts a 1.94m, 113kg frame.

He also represented New Zealand at the Olympics.

Prop Pauliasi Manu, winger Matt Duffie, halfback Augustine Pulu and winger Melani Nani were the Blues’ other tryscorers.

Captain Nic Stirzaker and five-eighth Jackson Garden-Bachop got on the scoresheet for the Rebels.

Halfback Stirzaker fended Akira Ioane to finish a sweeping team movement for the opening five-pointer of the 2017 season.

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But Stirzaker, playing his 50th game for the Rebels, then took a head knock, left the field and didn’t return after failing a concussion test.

He looked distraught on the sideline.

The Blues led 25-15 at halftime before running roughshod over the injury-depleted Rebels in the second stanza.

“It’s something we’ve been working very hard on during the pre-season to get those consistent performances and I thought we got that tonight,” stand-in Blues skipper Jimmy Tupou said.

The scoreline is scary for Australian rugby, considering the Blues were New Zealand’s last-placed team in 2016.

Players and spectators observed a minute’s silence before kick-off in honour of Wallabies great Dan Vickerman, who died on Saturday in Sydney, and Sione Lauaki, the former All Blacks loose forward who also passed away this month.

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AT A GLANCE

Blues 56 (Rieko Ioane 3, Pauliasi Manu, Matt Duffie, Augustine Pulu, Melani Nanai tries; Ihaia West 6 con, 2 pen) Rebels 18 (Nic Stirzaker, Jackson Garden-Bachop tries; Garden-Bachop con, Reece Hodge 2 pen). Halftime: 25-15

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Originally published as Rieko Ioane scores a hat-trick of tries as Blues destroy Rebels 56-18