Digby Ioane
Encyclopedia
Digby Ioane 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
.
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.
, 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 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.
, 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.
. 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.
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
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer playing for the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
. He has previously played for the Western Force
Western Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
in their inaugural year in 2006
2006 Super 14 season
The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday 10 February 2006. The Grand Final was held on Saturday 27 May 2006. Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season was the first of the expansion, which saw two new teams, the...
to 2007
2007 Super 14 season
The 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at ABSA Stadium in Durban, in the first final between two South African teams in the history of Super Rugby...
, and has been capped 11 times for the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
.
Early life
Born in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Ioane moved to Melbourne when he was 5 years old. Ioane was talented from an early age and represented Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in both rugby union and rugby league before moving to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 2002, where he attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace is a Greater Public Schools private, Roman Catholic, day school for boys only, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, 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.
2006 Season
Ioane played his first season of Super Rugby for the Reds in 20052005 Super 12 season
The 2005 Super 12 season was the tenth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2005, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi finals,...
, but subsequently signed with new franchise the Western Force for 2006
2006 Super 14 season
The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday 10 February 2006. The Grand Final was held on Saturday 27 May 2006. Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season was the first of the expansion, which saw two new teams, the...
, joining Reds teammate Nathan Sharpe
Nathan Sharpe
Nathan Sharpe is an Australian rugby union player. He plays lock and is the captain of the Western Force.-Early career:...
, who had been the Force's first big-name signing. John Mitchell
John Mitchell
-Politics:*John Mitchell *John Mitchel , Irish nationalist*John N. Mitchell , United States Attorney General and Watergate conspirator*John Mitchell , United States Congressman from Pennsylvania...
liked Ioane's direct style of play 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 GiteauMatt Giteau
Matthew Giteau is an Australian rugby union footballer, a former international who now plays for the French Top 14 side Toulon. He attended St Edmund's College, Canberra, which has produced other Wallabies including George Gregan, Matt Henjak and the former rugby league star and now coach Ricky...
, 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.
2008 Season
Ioane chose not to extend his contract with the Force and signed for the Reds at the end of 20072007 Super 14 season
The 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at ABSA Stadium in Durban, in the first final between two South African teams in the history of Super Rugby...
. 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
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. 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
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
'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.He has played with the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
from 2008.
On 3 June 2007, Ioane made his International debut, playing against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
at Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
. He made a try saving tackle and scored a try