All Blacks Josh Ioane joins Connacht from Chiefs

Ioane arrives with 72 caps and 300 points in Super Rugby between spells at the Chiefs and the Highlanders

Josh Ioane catches the ball during a Chiefs Super Rugby training session

Connacht have landed All Blacks-capped fly-half Josh Ioane for next season to bolster their playmaking options following JJ Hanrahan’s serious knee injury.

Ioane, 28, will join the western province from the Chiefs with head coach Pete Wilkins on Wednesday hailing the arrival of a player with great experience and skills. Capped once by New Zealand, against Tonga in 2019, Ioane joined the Chiefs in 2021 from the Highlanders and has earned a combined 72 Super Rugby caps across the two franchises, at 10, centre and full-back.

He will join Jack Carty and Hanrahan as the frontline out-halves, though the latter sustained an ACL injury against the Dragons on April 27 and is set to be absence until early 2025, according to Connacht.

“We are thrilled to welcome Josh to Connacht next season,” Wilkins said.

“We were open about the need for additional depth at 10 following JJ’s injury, and in Josh we have secured a player with a wealth of experience and an excellent skill set, that will both excite our supporters and complement our existing backs.

“We look forward to him joining the squad and helping us push for success next season.” Ioane will be well known to many Irish players having twice started for the Maori All Blacks against an Ireland XV when Andy Farrell’s squad toured New Zealand in the summer of 2022, scoring three conversions and two penalties in the Maori’s opening victory in Hamilton and then a late two-pointer in the second game, an Irish win in Wellington. Ioane also came off the bench for an All Blacks XV against Ireland A the following November when the New Zealanders ran out convincing winners at the RDS.

Connacht’s new signing is the third move for a fly-half by the Irish provinces ahead of next season, with Munster signing Billy Burns as a replacement for Bordeaux-bound Joey Carbery from Ulster , who in turn have captured Irish-qualified Aidan Morgan from the Hurricanes.

Connacht will get their URC campaign underway with a derby visit to Thomond Park when they face Munster on September 21.