Blues' Mr Fixit Rieko Ioane adding to his arsenal as he fires up for All Blacks

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Shades of glory: Rieko Ioane says his movement around the Blues backline can only be good for his development.

Amid the gloom, there is always a bright light. Rieko Ioane has most certainly been that for the Blues during their continued descent into Super Rugby ignominy.

It is little wonder then, as this remarkable 21-year-old gets set to slip on that black jersey to launch his second full season of test rugby, that there is a spring in his step and smile on his dial. It is winning time – and not a minute too soon for a young man who deserves a better platform than his franchise has managed once again in 2018.

Yes, Tana Umaga's men have won just three of 12 matches this season and once again they have been chewed up and spat out by their rivals in the Kiwi conference where they are almost certain to claim a fifth straight wooden spoon.

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Rieko Ioane was on fire for the Blues in their defeat to the Crusaders at Eden Park on Saturday.

But through it all Ioane has kept his head, and his standards, high. He has played every minute of every game for the perennial underachievers and has appeared on the left wing, at centre, at second five-eighths and also on the right wing. Through the chaos, he has been a source of rare order and quality.

That was showcased on Saturday night when he was the individual star of a 32-24 defeat to the Crusaders at Eden Park. He scored two tries, and created the other two for his side, in a performance that shone like a jewel. He was pacy, creative, busy, and he left his imprint all over the contest

Naturally, he was an automatic selection in Steve Hansen's national squad of 33 named on Sunday to meet the French in three tests in June. The Gaffer has some big calls to make around his back three for that series – but not on the left wing where his 13-test, 11-try wunderkind is a laydown misere to start.

And if there's been an upside to the Blues' injury-plagued struggles in 2018, and Ioane's adoption as a backline Mr Fixit, it has been in the fast-tracking of the young man's education. He may be the world's best left wing (a finalist for world player of the year in 2017) but he also now has a growing appreciation of what's required in those three other positions.

"There's been lot of talk about the moving around being unsettling, but I've enjoyed it," he tells Stuff from the All Blacks' Auckland training camp. "I've had good experience at 13, 12 and 14. I'm happy to play where the coach sees me fit, but I love being on the wing.

"For me growing as a player, spending time at 12 and 13 has definitely been beneficial. I'm far from a finished product but I feel like I'm definitely improving from last year."

Selector, and All Blacks legend, Grant Fox agrees. Nothing he's seen indicates there has been a downside to Ioane's peripatetic season with the Blues.

"In some ways it's been good for him to get an understanding of what his guys out there look for. He played a lot of his school rugby at centre, so he's not uncomfortable in midfield. But right now we're pretty well catered for there, and he's not bad on the wing. Every time he's gone there for the Blues he's showed his class."

If last Saturday was anything to go by, Ioane's game is becoming more rounded by the minute. There were two world-class finishes, but he also put Matt Duffie in with a blast of creativity from the most unpromising of positions, and did something similar in the second half for Michael Collins.

"We were close to being a healthy backline, and the confidence we've developed over the last couple of weeks has been good for us. We're sill a work in progress, but it feels like it's getting better," he said.

And the All Blacks?

"I'm always looking to improve. Last year was a start for me, and now I'm looking to build on it. Hopefully this year goes a bit better but I'm just eager to get stuck into it."

As Hansen ponders his options with Ben Smith, Jordie Barrett and Waisake Naholo in his back three, he does so in the comfort that he has a strike weapon of rare quality anchoring that left wing spot.