Justin Robertson
The Ravens aren't the only team backing Vega Ioane.
The All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, wished Ioane well in a one-on-one interview he did after his introductory press conference last week. Ioane was greeted with video messages on a tablet from several members of the All Blacks team, including Codie Taylor, who has been a Ravens fan since the Ray Lewis days.
The 14th-overall pick immediately perked up when he saw who was on the tablet.
Born in American Samoa, Ioane didn't play football until high school and instead picked up rugby at a young age. The youngest of nine children, Ioane and his father, who also played rugby as a kid, are fans of the All Blacks.
"That means a lot, man," Ioane said after watching the messages. "Rugby's a big thing for the Samoan and Polynesian culture seeing something like that means a lot to me."
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry, the touring series between the All Blacks and the Springboks, iscoming to M&T Bank Stadiumon Sept. 12.
