Digby Ioane

Digby Ioane

Personal information
Full name	Digby Ioane
Date of birth	14 July 1985 (1985-07-14)
Place of birth	Wellington, New Zealand
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Weight	93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
School(s) attended	St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace and St John's Regional College
Club information
Position(s)	Wing / Outside Centre
Current club	Queensland Reds
Youth representative teams
Years Team Apps (points) 2002 ‐ 03 2004 2004 ‐ 05 Australia Schoolboys Australia U-19 Australia U-21 5
Super Rugby **
Provincial sides Sunnybank Super Rugby 2006 ‐ 07 2008 ‐ Western Force Queensland Reds 23 (25) 45 (80)
Representative teams**
2007 ‐ 2006 ‐ Australia Australia A 24 (60)
** Representative team caps and points correct as of 3 June 2007.

Digby Ioane (born 14 July 1985) is an Australian rugby union footballer playing for the Queensland Reds. He has previously played for the Western Force in their inaugural year in 2006 to 2007, and has been capped 11 times for the Wallabies.

Early life

Born in Wellington New Zealand, Ioane moved to Melbourne when he was 5 years old. Ioane was talented from an early age and represented Victoria in both rugby union and rugby league before moving to Brisbane in 2002, where he attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, playing for the Gregory Terrace first XV for 2 years. He also represented the Australia Schoolboys from 2002 to 2003. He then represented Australia at U19 and U21 level in 2004.

Club career

Western Force

2006 Season

Ioane played his first season of Super Rugby for the Reds in 2005, but subsequently signed with new franchise the Western Force for 2006, joining Reds teammate Nathan Sharpe, who had been the Force's first big-name signing. John Mitchell liked Ioane's direct style of play^{[citation needed]} and rewarded him with 12 games in his first year with the Force, scoring 2 tries. The Force would ultimately finish in last place in their inaugural year.

2007 Season

Despite the Force's disappointing start to their Super Rugby career, they were able to make several big signings including the likes of Matt Giteau, greatly bolstering their squad. Ioane was expected to have a big season, but a series of niggling injuries limited his involvement to only 8 games that year. In his few games Ioane was still able to make an impression, scoring two tries and leaving people calling for Wallabies selection.

Queensland Reds

2008 Season

Ioane chose not to extend his contract with the Force and signed for the Reds at the end of 2007. He toured with the Wallabies at the end of the 2005 season. Ioane played 12 games in 2006 for the Force, scoring two tries. Following the end of the Super 14 season he was selected to play for the Australia 'A' team that played two matches against Fiji. He was also a part of the U21 Australian team that made it to the semi-finals at the 2006 World Championship. Ioane was nominated for the International Rugby Board's U21 International Player of the Year award.Digby joined the Reds in 2008 from the Western Force, where he had made 20 appearances in Super 14 rugby after making his debut against the Brumbies in 2006 and scored 20 points from four tries.

2009 Season

In 2009 he was switched to outside centre to cover an injury and proved a sensation, making the position his own until a shoulder reconstruction ended his season prematurely. Fought his way back to be selected for the Wallaby end of year tour and made his comeback in the Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks in Tokyo.

2010 Season

Digby continued his devastating form in 2010 on the wing and at outside centre, scoring an equal team high five tries in twelve appearances.

2011 Season

2011 was a standout season for Ioane, featured in 15 Super Rugby games for the Reds and scoring five tries bringing his career Super Rugby tally to 100 points – and earning his selection in the Wallabies 2011 World Cup squad.^{[citation needed]}

He has played with the Queensland Reds from 2008.

On 3 June 2007, Ioane made his International debut, playing against Wales at Suncorp Stadium. He made a try saving tackle and scored a try.

External links

• Queensland profile
• Play profile
• Digby Ioane Nominated For IRB U21 International Player Of The Year
• The first Samoan to play for the Wallabies
• Dad backs Ioane but don't bank on the Bledisloe