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By Bret Harris
May 13, 2009 Wallabies winger Digby Ioane will visit a specialist on Wednesday amid fears he may require season-ending shoulder surgery.
Ioane sustained the injury in the Queensland Reds' loss to the Brumbies in Brisbane two weeks ago and has not played since.
His shoulder popped out and in again during the game and there was concern he may have suffered ligament damage.
If Ioane requires a full reconstruction, he would miss Australia's domestic Test series, starting with the Barbarians in Sydney on June 6.
Although Ioane has been in outstanding form at outside centre for the Reds this season, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is almost certain to start him on the right wing against the Barbarians if he is fit.
"I'm sure Robbie Deans will be watching with interest," Reds coach Phil Mooney said. "Digby has had a great year for us."
It would be a tremendous shame if Ioane were sidelined for the Wallabies' campaign after his superb form for the Reds.
At least if Ioane is ruled out, Deans will be comforted by the fact that Australia has depth on the wing.
There are several players who could start on the wing for Australia, including Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Drew Mitchell, Stirling Mortlock, Timana Tahu, Lote Tuqiri and Lachlan Turner.
Hynes is sidelined with a knee injury that has troubled him for much of the season but he should be available for the Barbarians match.
However, the availability of Ashley-Cooper, Mortlock, Tahu, Tuqiri and Turner will depend on whether the Brumbies and NSW Waratahs reach the Super 14 final, which will be played the week before the Barbarians game.
Deans has indicated he will rest squad members who are involved in the final from the Barbarians match.
This is a policy Deans would need to review in the unlikely but possible event that the Brumbies meet the Waratahs in the final because those teams would probably supply at least half of the 30-man Wallabies squad.
The Reds could potentially help their NSW rivals reach the playoffs if they upset the third-placed Hurricanes in Brisbane on Saturday night.
"We are not going into the game with any motivation to win for teams below the Hurricanes," Mooney said. "We'll do it for us and no one else.
"We've shown at various stages of the season we are a dangerous side. We lost a few games by four points or less. If we had won those, things might have been different.
"The Hurricanes are a very dangerous side. The key is maintaining our shape in defence, making our tackles and not giving them a lot of turnover ball."
The Reds are at their best when underestimated, but neither the Brumbies nor Waratahs would be banking on them upsetting the Hurricanes.
Queensland is expected to be reinforced by the return from injury of Wallabies Berrick Barnes and James Horwill as well as rugby league convert Mark McLinden and Kiwi recruit Ezra Taylor.
They all ran at training yesterday and will be named today if they get through this morning's session.
But halfback Brendan McKibben has been ruled out with a stress fracture of the foot.
With McLinden back in the side, Ben Lucas will return to halfback after playing fullback in the loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch last Saturday.
Australian sevens representative Richard King is on the bench.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/?from=ni_story
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