Wallabies winger Digby Ioane will leave the Queensland Reds and Australian rugby later this year after signing a massive two-year contract with French glamour club Stade Francais.
It’s understood Ioane will reap almost $2.5 million but the deal will severely endanger his chances of playing in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jim Carmichael on Thursday night confirmed French radio reports the world-class back would link with the Parisian club at the end of the year.
Ioane is regarded among the best wingers in the game and his loss is a major blow to both the Wallabies and the Reds.
One of the country’s highest-paid rugby players, earning a reported $800,00 per season, the 34-Test flyer had another year to run on his Reds contract but his ARU deal expired at the end of 2013.
Despite a stand-off between the Reds and Ioane’s management last week over alleged third-party payments he felt were owed to him, Carmichael stressed it was an amicable departure.
The pair met face-to-face this week and Carmichael said there were no hard feelings about Ioane taking the chance to provide long-term financial security for his family.
“He goes with our absolute blessing,” Carmichael told AAP.
“I’m reassured about his feelings toward the Reds and his teammates and he’ll always be a part of the Reds family.
“If he chooses to come back to Australian rugby after a couple of years I hope he picks up the phone and we’ll welcome him back with open arms.”
While the French season starts in September, the ARU would be unlikely to release him from his current contract until after the spring tour of Europe in late November.
Ioane would still be regarded among the half-dozen certain selections in Robbie Deans’ Wallabies starting 15 to play the British and Irish Lions next month.
Ioane’s deal looks set to end his chances of playing a second World Cup, kicking off in September 2015 in England, as ARU guidelines stipulate that players must be involved in Super Rugby to be eligible.
The addition of the New Zealand-born, Melbourne-raised 27-year-old is a huge coup for Stade Francais – formerly coached by Australians Michael Cheika, Ewen McKenzie and John Connolly – as they are currently struggling in ninth on the Top 14 ladder.
Justin2
Guest
Not sure how losing a non jumping lock is a disaster. Palmer is a disaster. Digby disappointing. Timani, next
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Absolute waffle - not to mention rude, and you keep talking about these players lost in their prime. You seem to have concocted this myth of a player drain in your head when it quite clearly isn't the case.
Justin2
Guest
So you want to pay a winger well over a million a year. Send the ARU broke, you are a genius Simon. Yu have been banging on and on about this and you have proven yet again to not have a sniff.
DJW
Guest
Am the only one sick of players breaking there contracts? What's the point of them if no-one respects them. Digby is a serial offender as well. His manager appears to be from the Khoder Nasser school of thought. I don't think he is a big loss, he is one dimensional winger with bad hands who isolates himself and is suspect under the ball. Playing next to centres who don't pass in the Wallabies didn't help him though. Tomane, Folau, Speight (soon) as well JOC who can play wing we have ample wingers. Cam Crawford looks promising too. Wallabies jersey should be earned too, not just rock back at WC time.
WoobliesFan
Guest
Ummm, David Beckham, Allan Iverson, James LeBron..... you're a smart guy Daniel
Harry
Guest
Great result for Digby who has the responsibility of supporting a lot more people than just himself. Happy for him to get such a great deal. Disappointed as a Reds and Wallabies fan as IMO he could have gone through for at least another two seasons t the highest level and then taken the big payola in Japan or France at the end of 2015 for 3 years or so while still at the relatively young age of 30. But of course thats preety risky as he's always been a bit injury prone and IMOhe is marginally past his best of 2009 to 2011 but still a terrific footballer whose done well. Bit worried that it looks like Lance and Morahan both gone ... no more please!
oikee
Guest
Rugby union Australia, selling its soul to France union. Is why AFL and Rugby League is such a huge growing industry in this country. At least you see the best players on a weekly basic, not confined to Ncis, Gps, sorry, espn or eurosport to see them play at 5 in the morning. Sold your soul Union, sold your soul. Ausseis want real sport in this country, not a fluff comp in France.
Kipper
Guest
Red Kev, The force has the (dis)pleasure of having Richard Graham as their coach. You think there's a link between the players leaving and him ?
Nigel Imrie
Guest
ARU are too controlling, what is the big deal whether you play Super Rugby or Rugby elsewhere,case in point, George Smith,now.
jeznez
Roar Guru
that would be big news - have never seen him play but a few Roarers have big wraps on him.
mania
Guest
ric - agree about wingers needing aerial skills, but would like to point out that we had jonah, rocokoko and sivivatu for a long long time and they had close to no aerial skills. sivivatu played full back but was never in a situation where he was competing to take high ball. but in the modern era and i mean that from 2009 onwards, after the hidings we got from the boks, that there has been a paradigm shift in nz that wingers have to also be bomb defusers as well. in diggers defence, tho not an excuse, he gets moved to the front when on defence to accomodate quade who takes diggers wing, so has never had a reason to learn bomb disposal skills. i still reckon that diggers has it but its prob more because i admire his attitude and willingness to increase his work load. speight is just as good and offers more skill but i still say diggers has a lot left to offer.
Riccardo
Guest
Mania, I have seen him shovel it to the gain line in that capacity and with regular success but would suggest that the 11s and 14s must develop receiver roles amongst other expanded skills in the modern era. Savea, for example, is already well versed in this area and has improved his aerial skills too after being found out early. It's also fair to acknowledge some of the great tries Digby has scored. The 1st try Bledisloe 2011 at Eden Park for example. And I have already acknowledged the ball rarely gets that far in the current Wallaby set up. I'm just not sure he remains in his prime and am genuine when I say Speight's a better prospect.
Boomeranga
Guest
Jez - There was talk on GAGR earlier in the week that Tala Gray was close to being signed. Victorian jnr who played for Easts before moving to Barritz is all I know about him.
mania
Guest
i disagree Riccardo - diggers has been used as a mule when he's a thoroughbread. instead of being on the end of a movement and scoring tries he's been used as first reciever to get it upto and past the adv line. any winger that can still achieve as much as diggers does with the blackhole midfield he's had to suffer has to be above and beyond a normal mortal. considering that everyone knows that diggers is never gonna kick it and just run yet he still makes serious yards is saying something. look at it this way, if diggers was in nz and was good enough to make the AB's imagine how much better he wouldve been.
Riccardo
Guest
This has ended up in the wrong place Reg. What I meant to say to you was "REALLY"?! A tissue for your issue? I know for sure that I would be happy with "just the money".
Riccardo
Guest
This is actually a good thing for the Wallabies IMO. Speight and Tomane are coming through and Speight in particular has looked impressive and will offer the Wallabies more. Digby's had his moments, is a good carrier and to be fair played in a Wallaby team that struggles to distribute but the opining on this forum of his stature as one of the game's best wingers is not accurate. I have seen posts advocating he would be a walk-in selection for the All Blacks alongside Genia. Who would he displace? Jane & Savea are more than his equal IMO. Apparently Stade De Francais are buying the hype though so good luck Diggers. Make hay while the sun shines...
mania
Guest
i wonder if genia will get dumped from the wb's
Simon Levingston
Guest
RedKev, mate, your interpretation is too narrow so I have previously chosen to ignor your comments. So what if a player in France misses a single test which happens to fall on a December 1st date? By the way this has yet to be challenged by an influential country of the IRB, like Australia. Somehow I don't think the IRB will favour a French club over one of its members, do you? There are Global, Hemisphere and Tournament Release Periods designed to cover all the major event windows for club playing Wallabies. So a request to play by Australia on a player like Digby Ioane is not an impediment. I think that is enough of a spanking for you!
formeropenside
Guest
Yeah, but thats like going from having an on-again off-again affair with Scarlett Johansson to marrying Lena Dunham because you want to settle down.
Bakkies
Guest
''What I find silly is he paying anything for this benefit of the fame bought to him.'' It's called being a professional. Do you pay money out of your income to schools, unis and companies that developed your working career? The answer should be a simple no.