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Wayne Smith From: The Australian September 10, 2011 12:00AM
IT has taken only one injury-free season for Wallabies winger Digby Ioane to come into the World Cup as the hot favourite to finish as the tournament's leading try-scorer but then, he always had faith.
Faith in his own ability, sure, but more importantly faith in God, and now the quietly religious Queenslander can't wait to see what might be possible if his blessed run continues over the next six weeks.
Heaven knows Ioane has had more than sufficient reason to suspect his time would never come. He performed well on debut against Wales at Suncorp Stadium in 2007 but then was overlooked for the last World Cup squad. And then, having asked for a release from the Western Force to return to Queensland, he initially struggled to make an impression as a series of injuries held him back.
Just when his 2010 Super Rugby season with the Reds looked to be taking off, he was laid low with a shoulder injury that required reconstructive surgery. He missed the Wallabies spring tour but, with the benefit of a strong off-season, he was able to hit the ground running this year, becoming one of the leading contributors to the Reds' Super Rugby title.
And that, in turn, has seen him finally secure the Test spot that had looked his for the taking as far back as 2006 when he was named as one of the finalists for the IRB Under-21 Player of the Year.
"I just feel so blessed," said Ioane yesterday. "God has been so good. I've had no injuries this year."
Yet for all the success this season has delivered, not just the Super Rugby title but also the Tri-Nations Cup, Ioane isn't allowing himself even a moment to pause and reflect on how far he has come. With James O'Connor and Drew Mitchell both back on the available roster and pressing for selection, he recognises that now is not the time for self-congratulation.
"It's not about being happy just playing for Australia," he said, "It's about being passionate about being the best out there.
"I can't really say I've reached my potential. I'm still learning. I'm going up against the best in the world, wingers like Bryan Habana (the Player of the Year when the Springboks won the last World Cup in 2007.)"
As influential as he is on the field, Ioane is exerting quite a presence off the field as well, particularly among his fellow Pacific islanders, introducing the trademark Reds handshake to the Wallabies. "We're bringing back the love and the handshake," said Ioane. "Everyone's connecting."
Indeed, at his prompting, the Wallabies have even adopted the Reds' habit of insisting that any players who blow up with each other during training have to slow dance afterwards.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226133453013