A day after Queensland Reds coaching director Ewen McKenzie denied rumours, Wallabies winger Digby Ioane has confirmed he wants to leave the Super Rugby club at the end of the year.
The Reds flyer may be overseas-bound in 2014 after falling out with Queensland’s administration over a third-party payment dispute and claims of another off-field incident.
McKenzie and captain James Horwill faced the media on Monday and dismissed a report that the 34-Test veteran wanted out.
However, the Reds went into lockdown on Tuesday after Ioane claimed he had told the club earlier this month he was leaving.
The Reds scrapped plans to release a statement on Ioane on Tuesday night after players and staff kept a low profile from media at training.
Queensland CEO Jim Carmichael and Ioane’s manager Anthony Piccone did not return calls.
It came after Ioane – one of the world’s best wingers – claimed he had “no choice” but to quit the Reds due to a long-running payment row.
Ioane said he wrote to the club on April 8 telling them he would leave at the end of 2013 – a year before the end of his three-season deal.
“It’s all a business matter, that’s why I’m leaving. I had no choice,” Ioane told Fairfax.
“I’ve been thinking about it for the last six or seven months.
“I believe in loyalty but there’s times when you can’t trust anyone.”
However, Carmichael claimed Ioane’s conduct – not his contract – was a major issue.
He said the club was investigating an alleged incident at a Brisbane hotel last weekend.
Ioane was reportedly in an altercation with hotel staff when refused entry because he was not wearing a shirt.
He later tweeted about the incident.
It came barely a month after Ioane was stood down from a Reds match after getting involved in an incident at a Melbourne bar.
“He has a bigger problem than his contract and that’s his conduct,” Carmichael told The Australian.
Under the terms of his Reds contract, Ioane’s only option may be to play overseas next year with Japan and France expected to be likely destinations.
“At this stage we have an agreement that the only way he can play at any other (Australian) franchise than the Reds is if he declines an offer from the ARU – and I agree to it,” Carmichael said.
“He’s going nowhere unless I release him.”
It is in contrast to McKenzie who claimed on Monday he was unaware Ioane had any problems and felt the report on a fallout with the 27-year-old was typical of the player negotiation game.
“I’m not too stressed about it. Digby is out there playing good rugby for us so I’m happy about that,” he said.
Mike
Guest
Very amusing Thomas Are you really that insecure? ;)
Mike
Guest
HI TC - would you mind explaining the point of your comment? It doesn't appear to have any relevance to my post. Yes, TV revenues of $1 billion - so what? We all know that any increase in clubs salary caps will be minimal, and that is the only thing that matters. My point (as someone who has grown up with the Sydney comp and knows it well) is that various clubs will make noises about "buying" Israel Folau, just as all the clubs make noises about buying many players from time to time, and the vast majority of this "talk" will go nowhere. It is indeed simply "what they do". "crapping all over the pathetic excuse of comp in s15′s" Right, that tells me that you personally prefer NRL and that you tend to be an emotional person rather than a rational one. But what possible relevance does it have to my post?
Ben.S
Roar Guru
What player drain? Honestly, you've been saying this for weeks and Australia has never suffered anywhere near as much as NZ or SA. It's total hyperbole.
Ra
Guest
hehehe Justin my brother lived 37 years in Australia and died here. According to his kids and Aussie in laws, he never lost his Maori strum (guitar), still loved pork bone boil ups and always loved noisely sucking the eyeballs out of fish heads when he had them for breakfast. Somethings about home ya never forget .....he wont be able to eat taro while on a different Aussie-based super team eh, but can do back in Porirua
Chivas
Guest
RK nicely balanced opinion piece. There is nothing in there which indicates Digby and his manager are right royal tools. In fact quite the opposite. So if you stick to what you originally said and throw this article up I assume anybody who doesn't toe the QRU line is a tool, which to my mind is a truly ridiculous position. The only person I know who might come up with that is FOS and he would have had the spine to say it from the outset, rather than fluff around trying to sound like there was some intelligence and logic behind the comment. I should have just asked if you were just throwing up a lazy poorly thought through comment in the first place. Would have saved us both some time.
ThomasCrown
Roar Rookie
I watched them both and i agree they were good games but as a primary Leaguie i cant go past the Souths vs Melbourne game. With the Tahs game i couldnt see what the bu=ig deal was with the Falou try, he didnt have to fight to take it and the other jumpers were poorly positioned. No disrespect but that is stock standard in the NRL, BTW i am a Rugby fan and its my 2nd sport of choice so i watch every Wallaby game and try to watch as many S15, Heineken Cup ect games as possible.
ThomasCrown
Roar Rookie
Compared to the Rugby comps in Europe and yes the NRL.
Worlds biggest
Guest
Thomas sounds like your not a rugby fan which is fine, each to there own. however check out the Reds v Brumbies game last weekend. It was the best game of union or league I've watched this year, just outstanding. The Tahs v Chiefs wasn't bad either.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Compared to? match fixing cricket? or drug scandal NRL and AFL?
Justin2
Guest
Wellington hasn't been his home for over 20yrs. Don't think he'd want to move back there either...
Justin2
Guest
Hey Ra, thanks for taking the time to post that. I do have some understanding of it but not enough hence my question. My loose and maybe inaccurate understanding is that Digby is more like the bank of Samoa. I live in Melbourne so get the Greek and Italian thing but this is very different to that. There is support and there is taking the pizz shall we say, if y get my drift. And as for that state looking after them I won't go there other than to say it doesn't have to be that way and the Greeks and Italians have shown that in Australia.
ANON69
Guest
Digby GO.
ThomasCrown
Roar Rookie
Lol im surprised but you gotta admit the s15 is a joke.
Worlds biggest
Guest
The fish are biting tonight aren't they Thomas !
Rhys Maiden
Roar Pro
Folau is almost guaranteed a wingspot now with Tomane/Mafi on the other
Ra
Guest
Geez he'll look good back home in Wellington outside of Conrad Smith. He can't play for another Aussie franchise his contract says eh
Ra
Guest
A fair question Justin, and a very good qualification by Justie. its a matter of cultural perspect. You are viewing Digby's cultural commitments through Westernised anglo eurocentric eyes. And i intentionally mentioned Anglo because other Europeans Greek; Italian etc etc share that same strong sense of family cultural values that ethnic Polynesians do. Ironic that you coin the modern-day Westernised phrase: "They are all adults and should look after themselves." You are talking independence, the right to choose ones own destiny, or what Maori call tino rangatiratanga, awesome stuff, God given right some folks say. But colonisation took away centuries of independence, and that's why we have a whole Westernised society today dependent on the state. So should Digby pay respect to his family for giving him life by supporting them with his very large bank balance, or should he support colonialism by making them dependant on the State. Sorry if it sounds a bit heavy there Justin bro, but if you go around to a bro's place and join in on a kava ceremony, you'll loosen up pretty quick - i hate the stuff
ThomasCrown
Roar Rookie
That’s just league – its what they do. Lots of talk." Yet they have 1 Billion at there disposal and are crapping all over the pathetic excuse of comp in s15's
AdamS
Roar Guru
Not Rugby though is it? More like competitive Red Rover or British Bulldog. The Leaguey page is full of articles bemoaning the one dimensional nature of the game and looking for fixes.
AdamS
Roar Guru
That's my rumor and I will feed it until it becomes reality. My reality, which I can own.