McMeniman off to Japan, Digby stays (probably)
Wallaby flank Hugh McMeniman has agreed a two-year deal with Japanese club side the Kubota Spears from 2010, but Digby Ioane has chosen to stay in Australia for the time being.
McMeniman confirmed months of speculation last week when he signed for the Spears, while it seems his teammate and good friend Digby Ioane had turned down a lucrative offer to join the loose forward to remain in Queensland at the Reds.
Ioane was initially shopped around to overseas clubs by his manager as a package deal with Reds teammate McMeniman, but it seems the lure of playing in the 2011 Rugby World Cup has won out for the quick-stepping centre.
A reported Aus$1.1 million offer was put on the table for Ioane, but it is expected that an announcement by the Reds will come soon regarding Ioane's future, with a new two-year contract likely to have been signed.
Meanwhile, McMeniman has urged other players, specifically league converts, to do their research before joining him in the lucrative league of the Asian nation.
It came after Australian National Rugby League (NRL) club South Sydney announced that they would release Craig Wing from the final two years of his contract at the end of 2009 so he could take up a two-year offer with a yet to be named Japanese rugby side.
Broncos star Karmichael Hunt is the latest NRL player to be linked to a move for the big bucks in Japan.
McMeniman said Japanese rugby was ideal for league converts to make a start in Rugby Union, but warned against players going simply for the highest bidder.
"You can't just go to any club. You've got to find the club that suits you," McMeniman told AAP.
"There are some very traditional clubs with all Japanese support staff, coaches and their set views - it would make the transition very tough, especially with the language barrier.
"You can't just go for the big money.
"But if you find the right fit, Japanese rugby is a good place to start learning the sport.
"It can be up tempo, a very fast game over there which would suit [league convert] backs in particular - they can play a pretty pivotal role."
But McMeniman said it wasn't just the money that convinced him to knock back European interest and opt for the Spears.
"There's lifestyle, and it's closer to home which is a big appeal and less games [than in Australia] to play in a season," he said.
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