British and Irish Lions 2017: Fan spends night on couch of All Blacks brothers Rieko and Akira Ioane
He was offered shelter by their mother without realising who the brothers were
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A British and Irish Lions rugby fan supporting Warren Gatland’s side in New Zealand ended up sharing a home with All Blacks stars Rieko and Akira Ioane.
Alex Edwards, a former IT worker living in London, is travelling around New Zealand following the Lions in a campervan over the summer.
While staying in Auckland, he was at a local rugby club before a women suggested he stay in her home with her husband and family, instead of camping in a local car park.
However, it wasn’t until he met the rest of her family that it was pointed out to him that he was sleeping under the roof of the enemy, as the Ioane brothers walked in.
“I didn't actually recognize them at first - I was sitting with a cup of tea with the dad when the lads came in and their mum introduced the boys,” Mr Edwards told the BBC.
Mr Edwards didn’t recognise the brothers at first and commented they looked like they would be good at rugby, to which their father replied he would see them “run out” the following night.
He assumed the father was referring to a local team, but was quickly told “they’re playing for the Blues, mate” – the side the Lions were due to face in their second tour match on June 7th.
“I thought they'd looked familiar, but it didn't click until the dad told me,” Mr Edwards continued.
“People here worship the ground these guys walk on - and I didn't have a clue. They were great, really great. Everyone talks about Kiwi hospitality and that's really true in this case.”
He also revealed that despite their stardom in the country, the two brothers still share a room at their parents’ house.
The Blues won that match with 20-year-old Rieko starring and scoring a decisive try before he went on to bag two more against the Lions for the All Blacks in the first Test at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments