SPOTLIGHT IS ON IOANE

All Blacks star is quietly ticking all the boxes for Leinster

- BY DEREK FOLEY

LEINSTER have been quietly pleased with All Blacks signing Rieko Ioane's progress to here - three games and three wins since his arrival in early December.

If there were eyebrows raised at signing a player who had such a public spat with Blues and Ireland icon Johnny Sexton after the final whistle of the RWC 2023 quarterfinal and who, comparatively, was replacing Jordie Barrett, then it is so far so good.

The 28-year-old came from the bench for 21 minutes against Harlequins, started at Leicester and against Ulster, scoring his first try in his third outing.

We haven't been treated to Sexton's opinion yet but a big performance at Thomond would go a long way to ease Leinster - already three defeats down - fears and edging towards their most awkward part of the URC season where they must collect results without their Six Nation stars.

Barrett was sensational through January, February, March and April last season and, clearly, leaving him on the bench for the Champions Cup early May semifinal with Nothhampton was disastrous.