Tahs target Ioane

[travelling_gerry]

Bret Harris | July 10, 2009


Article from: The Australian

NSW Waratahs have made a late bid for Wallabies winger Digby Ioane as a replacement for Lote Tuqiri, who was sacked by the ARU last week for breaching the code of conduct.

The hard-running Ioane has indicated his intention to re-sign with Queensland, but is yet to put pen to paper.

He would be a logical replacement for Tuqiri, who was the Waratahs' highest-profile player.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said Ioane was assessing Queensland's future direction before re-committing to the Reds in the same way Wallabies inside centre Berrick Barnes is monitoring changes to the team's coaching staff and management.
"Digby was interested to talk to us," Hickey said.

"It depends where he sees his future. There's not many players in Australia who aren't contracted. He's one of them. He becomes a potential (candidate) to fill that position for us."

Ioane told guests at the Reds' ball in Brisbane last week that he intended to stay.
"Digby hasn't re-signed, but we are trying to get the paperwork finalised and hope to put it to bed in the next couple of days," QRU chairman Peter Lewis said. "I see no problem."

The Waratahs will continue to look overseas for a winger and a second-rower to fill their two import spots. "We'll wait and see what Digby does," Hickey said. "If we're not successful, we'll continue to look at what's available."

After ARU chief executive John O'Neill tore up Tuqiri's contract, NSW asked the national union if he could continue to play for it in the Super 14.

The ARU advised the Waratahs Tuqiri could not play for them because the ARU would have to be a signatory to a tri-party agreement.

But the Rugby Union Players Association suggested Tuqiri would be allowed to play for the Waratahs next season if the Super 14 side offered him a new contract.
Tuqiri would be able to command about $220,000 a season as the Waratahs' wild-card plus his sponsorships with companies such as Vodafone.

This would not be as much as Tuqiri could earn playing club rugby in France, but it would be comparable to what he would receive if he returned to league.

"Someone asked me the other day is he (Tuqiri) being banned from the game," RUPA chief executive Tony Dempsey said.

"My understanding is he hasn't been banned from the game. He has had his contract terminated."

RUPA will launch an investigation into the conduct of both the ARU and the NSWRU in relation to the sacking of Tuqiri.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html

[AndyS]

"Tuqiri would be able to command about $220,000 a season as the Waratahs' wild-card plus his sponsorships with companies such as Vodafone.

This would not be as much as Tuqiri could earn playing club rugby in France, but it would be comparable to what he would receive if he returned to league."

Which then begs the question why the hell the ARU felt the need to throw huge sums of money at him...?

[Burgs]

Guess they had to buy his will to play a different code?
Everything has a price...