Steve Hansen beefs up All Blacks for tour ties

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has called up 19-year-old outside back Rieko Ioane to the squad for their 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.