Wallaby Ioane signs to stay in Australia
Wallabies star Digby Ioane has shunned a seven-figure Japanese offer to sign an extended three-year deal with Queensland and the Australian Rugby Union.
Rated among the most destructive wingers in world rugby, Ioane on Sunday revealed he would remain in Brisbane until the end of the 2014 season in a major boost to the Wallabies and Queensland Reds.
The 26-year-old broke the news on his Twitter account after again impressing in Australia's 24-18 Test win over Wales at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium early Sunday morning (AEST).
Advertisement: Story continues below
"4 got 2 tell u my friends! Gonna stay in australia for the next 3 years!!! God is good an we r #reds," Ioane posted.
Ioane had received a $1 million per season offer to play with Japanese club Kubota midway through this year's Super Rugby season.
He reportedly verbally agreed to take up the lucrative deal to play alongside former Wallabies teammate Hugh McMeniman before denying it and saying he'd make up his mind after the World Cup.
The re-signing saga dragged on to the end-of-season tour of Britain but Reds coach Ewen McKenzie was always quietly confident of retaining Ioane for Queensland's 2012 Super Rugby title defence.
Not only for his speed and attacking power, Ioane is a crowd magnet for the Reds after lighting up Suncorp Stadium in 2011 with his breakdancing try celebrations.
"Obviously we're quite pleased it's finally over," McKenzie told AAP.
"That ices the cake for us.
"We've retained 25 of the 30 (contracted players) from last year which is a great position to be in after winning the title and it gives us a good capacity (for success again)."
McKenzie agreed Ioane's 2011 form deservedly made the 21-Test winger a natural choice in any world 15 team.
"I think he's had an outstanding year," he said. "It was surprising he'd only played 11 Tests before this season due to injuries.
"He's a bit of an enigma as a winger. He's got such a high work-rate, he doesn't play wing like in an orthodox way which we're pleased about.
"He touches the ball more than anyone else apart from the (halves) and he makes a positive impact with every touch."
Three-year contracts are a rarity in Australian rugby these days and the Reds were quick to push for a long-term deal for Ioane, who moved back to Ballymore from the Western Force in 2008.
"When he left the Western Force he was looking for love in a team sense and he found camaraderie and a great environment," McKenzie said.
