Ioane prepared to wait for Force chance
By Jim Morton, 11 Mar 2010 Jim Morton is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Digby Ioane, Queensland Reds, Rugby Union, Super Rugby, Western Force
Reds strike weapon Digby Ioane believes he may have to bide his time on the bench if he gets his desire to return to Super 14 action against former team Western Force.
Ioane remains unsure whether Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie will select him for Sunday’s Australian derby at Suncorp Stadium due to a lingering knee injury.
Both the 24-year-old and fellow Wallabies flyer Peter Hynes (finger) missed the Reds’ gutsy 23-18 upset of the Chiefs and McKenzie is considering giving the pair an extra week off leading into the round six bye to ensure they fully heal.
Ioane said the form of fill-ins Luke Morahan, Will Chambers and Brando Va’aulu gave McKenzie a surprise third option of bringing him back as an impact weapon off the bench.
“I’m not too sure, hopefully it will be right,” the eight-Test three-quarter said.
“It looks like it but it depends on the coach. I’ve got to impress him.
“I missed last week and the boys went well so I might find myself on the bench.”
Ioane has battled a recurring knee problem for the past four years, making his effort in becoming one of world rugby’s most destructive ball runners as all the more remarkable.
He knows an extra week off will allow him to be in peak condition for the rest of the Super 14 but desperately wants to play the Force, who he represented in 2006 and 2007.
“It’s a game I really want to play,” he said. “The Force and the Reds is always a big game.
“(But) my knee has been playing up since the start of the season and you have to look after it and try to make sure it doesn’t get worse.
“You’re not a machine so you have to look after it.”
But the winless Force, coming off a bye last weekend, are preparing as though both winger Ioane and fullback Hynes will take their places in the back three.
“We expect them all to play, that’s way you need to prepare so the expectation is they will play,” said Force backs coach Richard Graham.
The Force have backline decisions of their own to make with James O’Connor a starter at either inside centre or fullback.
New recruit David Hill, who played one Test for the All Blacks in 2006, will take over at five-eighth but Graham said injury concerns over “two or three” unnamed outside backs would determine O’Connor’s role.
The 19-year-old – who has impressed in all three positions this year after injuries struck down Andre Pretorius, Mark Bartholomeusz and Cameron Shepherd – will keep the goalkicking responsibilities ahead of Hill.
Graham, the Wallabies skills coach, has been duly impressed with the development of both O’Connor and Queensland playmaker Quade Cooper since last year’s Grand Slam tour.
“Quade has certainly matured and is giving his team good direction,” he said.
“I think his time under Robbie (Deans) last year certainly assisted his development and Ewen has him playing very well this year.”
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Rockin Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 6:30am | Report comment
I like Richard Grahams words about QC.
Some in the west are saying the deal is already done, shame for the REDS but a great buy for the struggling FORCE
Justin said | March 11th 2010 @ 6:43am | Report comment
I dont think QC is going RR. He said he is very happy with the way the Reds have stuck by him during his court case and that the team is on the up. It would be a mistake if he did leave IMO.
Rockin Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 6:48pm | Report comment
Justin
Why do you think it would be a mistake QC going to Perth.
Backline would be sheehan,QC,JOC,Cross,Cummins,Staniforth,Shepherd. They are also chasing Hynes and Gerrardo.
Their forward pack is good with the best backrow in the comp in Pocock, Brown and Hodgson.
Justin said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
I think QLD are building something pretty good RR. They are young and on the up. Just think it would be a shame if he went and that he might regret it.
I rate JOC, Cummins and Shep. The others are getting on or average. You are right about the Force B/R though, its a great mix, perhaps lacking size but very good.
Just my opinion.
AndyS said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:44pm | Report comment
And more specifically for Cooper, it would surely have to be in his best interest to continue fostering the partnership with Genia.
Justin said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:54pm | Report comment
You’d be mad not to wouldn’t you?
Rockin Rod said | March 12th 2010 @ 11:15am | Report comment
Agree but if Cooper is on his final warning ????wouldnt you take the money whilst you can, your career is very short anyways
formeropenside said | March 11th 2010 @ 9:21am | Report comment
What a surprise, the Force unable to develop any talent of their own, and up to their old (only) trick of poaching again.
Go_the_Wannabe's said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:07am | Report comment
It’s not ideal for Ozzie teams but what’s wrong with competitiveness in the market?
Would you rather that the Force just folded then?
It will take years for the Force to develop their own talent (like Melbourne), but they are in the pipeline.
formeropenside said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:43am | Report comment
Um, yes I would prefer the Force folded. Our talent is spread too thinly, and having a number of unproductive parasitic franchises does not help that at all.
Australian won two world cups without the Force, and Wallaby performance has not improved on any measure since 2006, so I really dont see how they are necessary or desirable at all.
tarpo said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:58am | Report comment
The last two years the Aussie super teams won 50% of their matches. That indicates the talent is not spread too thinly at all.
Wallabies last won the RWC more than 10 years ago, one must look through the windscreen, not the rearvison mirror.
formeropenside said | March 11th 2010 @ 11:10am | Report comment
made the final in 03, knocked out in the quarters in 07…what was your point again?
Those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it.
Justin said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:03pm | Report comment
How much money would we get if we had 2 or 3 sides? How much would the game have potential to grow outside NSW and QLD? How many more players would be OS if we had less teams?
Expansion in AUS isnt about the now, its about the future. You cant judge it in 4 years, wait 15 and see the players we have coming from other states.
Its quite possible that we wouldnt have seen Pocock, Genia, Cooper and countless others if we only had 2 or 3 sides. These guys got an opportunity BECAUSE there are 4 sides.
I agree that we need more depth but I disagree with the sentiment we do not have enough players in this country. Yes we havent won the S14 for a few years and had no side in the finals but it suits people to forget that the Tahs actually won more games than the Crusaders for instance.
I think the coaching and attitude is more of a problem than the playing personnel itself.
FOS beats this drum constantly. Fair enough thats your point of view but dont hijack every bloody thread that has any reference to new teams etc. Its old and boring.
AndyS said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
You’d want to hope that long remains the case FOS – if Western Australia started generating lots of new players with only $260k of ARU money, it would become pretty damn hard to justify the $6.2M they give NSW and Q’ld…!
tarpo said | March 11th 2010 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
Former, if collectivelly you are winning 50% of your Super matches, against the strongest rugby nations, then you are holding your own at that level. Therefore it is a myth that Australia don’t have enough talent to have 4 Super teams.
Winning Super form does not always translate into winning National form.
btw go the Reds (from one former open side to another!)
cheers
New Reds Recruit said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:27am | Report comment
Marto said last night on The Rugby Club that QC had signed again with The Reds, as they had stuck by him 3 months ago through his ordeal?
Rockin Rod said | March 11th 2010 @ 10:48am | Report comment
I heard the same thing on rugby club but its incorrect.
If Quade goes he will take Hynes with him. Reds just cant compete due to their financial situation
AndyS said | March 11th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
Has someone changed the article – I can’t see any mention of Cooper and a contract…?
Go_the_Wannabe's said | March 11th 2010 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
Look you guys it’s a democracy and we have a free market. Who can blame players for looking after their own welfare and that of their families by playing for the highest bidder. How many years do they have to ply their trade and set themselves up?
Hasn’t this argument been done to death in some other thread before?
Perhaps Queenslanders should do some navel gazing and ask how a well established franchise like QLD got themselves into such a financial mess.
Time for spill of the board and start again Qld!
We don’t have a 2nd tier comp like NZ or SA so doesn’t 5 franchises give more Oz players exposure to Super rugby and ultimately help strengthen the Wannabes? I can’t believe I have to even mention these points……
formeropenside said | March 11th 2010 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
and the response is that a second tier comp is a better way to go about it, and to date Wallaby performance has gone backward since the introduction of a 4th team…
Go_the_Wannabe's said | March 11th 2010 @ 5:50pm | Report comment
Oh well, guess we’ll just have to stick to the 5 franchises until that happens.
Then what’ll we do? Sack 3 of the franchises I suppose!
Justin said | March 11th 2010 @ 7:06pm | Report comment
Perhaps this patch of players just arent that good.
It has nothing to do with an extra team. The timing suits the argument but nothing else logically does if you think it through.