Wallabies winger Digby Ioane's season over after shoulder injury

[travelling_gerry]

Wallabies winger Digby Ioane's season over after shoulder injury

By Jim Tucker
July 25, 2010 The 2010 season is over for shattered Wallaby weapon Digby Ioane, who faces major surgery after his shoulder again betrayed him.
Ioane is booked to visit a specialist in Brisbane tomorrow and faces a six-month rehabilitation which puts in doubt his readiness for the Queensland Reds when Super 15 opens in February next year.
It is a cruel end to his Tri-Nations aspirations because he woke on Saturday with high hopes of proving his fitness to face the All Blacks in Melbourne on Saturday night.
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans was at an empty Ballymore to watch Ioane make a bid for a Test recall, but instead was left to comfort his fallen star.
Ioane's left shoulder popped in a seemingly innocuous tackle on older brother Jay, his "tackle bag" for the fitness test.
"I'm shattered. I went to make the tackle and it just popped out again," Ioane said.
"I was hoping for big things against the All Blacks but better it happen like this than against Ma'a Nonu in a Test."
Ioane has been sidelined since damaging his shoulder against England in Sydney on June 19. A positive medical report at the time suggested he could rehabilitate the shoulder without the surgery that was initially forecast.
Deans had pencilled in his powerful line-busting winger for a key role against the Kiwis and was upbeat "everything was on track" when Ioane was stepping and banging into contact at Wallaby training during the week.
"I guess there was always a risk with the shoulder," he said.
"It's sad it has gone this way but I'll come back stronger and faster for World Cup year.
"I feel sorry for Jay. He was worried about telling Dad but it had nothing to do with anything he did in the tackle."
The 11-Test winger is confident the grumbling problem is in a different area of the same shoulder that he had his 2009 reconstruction.
Ioane made it back in just under six months last year to play the best rugby of his stop-start Test career on the end-of-season Wallaby tour.
For Ioane, the injury blow kills off a real fairytale he had hoped to enjoy in Melbourne.
"I was living in Melbourne when the All Blacks played their first Test there in 1997," Ioane said.
"All the kids from my Under-12 side got to go to the Test except me as the youngest. I was brushed . . . there wasn't a ticket.

The Sunday Mail (Qld)


http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...016959,00.html

[jono]

welcome back shep?

[James]

So with Cooper out for two and Ioane injured I'd like the backline to look something like:

10. Giteau
11. Mitchell (pretty happy with his performance last night)
12. Barnes
13. AAC
14. JO'C
15. Shepherd

21. Horne
22. Beale

[travelling_gerry]

Of all the players last night I think Horne was the most unspectacular.

[jono]

So with Cooper out for two and Ioane injured I'd like the backline to look something like:

10. Giteau
11. Mitchell (pretty happy with his performance last night)
12. Barnes
13. AAC
14. JO'C
15. Shepherd

21. Horne
22. Beale

how was JOC on the wing?
would he go back to 15 and shep move into wing?
or did his performance warrant him staying there?

[GIGS20]

Rabbit was a revelation on the wing. he stepped in and out on attack, allowed Drew to play more of a tackle busting role and looked dangerous most of the night.

I reckon it'd be a close thing whether He or Shep would take fullback, but there was nohing I saw in his attack or his defence to make me worry about the wing

[Hoolly Doolly]

So with Cooper out for two and Ioane injured I'd like the backline to look something like:

10. Giteau
11. Mitchell (pretty happy with his performance last night)
12. Barnes
13. AAC
14. JO'C
15. Shepherd

21. Horne
22. Beale

Id swap barnes to 10 and gits to 12. Gits was dangerous everytime he touched the ball and seems to really enjoy the extra space. if we use barnes then someone needs to belt his kick first mentality out of him.

Horne was solid in defense but was invisible in attack. Im hoping next year Mortlock has a ripper year at the rebels and be injury free. I would love to see him have one more crack at the RWC. Alternatively id like to see AAC there in the absence of digby and see how will chambers goes next year.

---------- Post added at 16:44 ---------- Previous post was at 16:41 ----------

how was JOC on the wing?
would he go back to 15 and shep move into wing?
or did his performance warrant him staying there?

He was a target with the high balls and stuffed a couple.
I prefer sheps as a fullback for the force and wallabies. JOC is in danger of becoming another AAC and matt rogers. He did real well on the wing last night though i felt he shoulda at least been able to out sprint kankowski who did well to run down a open JOC on one occasion.

[BDAVEY]

I think they will keep Horne at 13 sheps on the bench. gits, barnes, horne drew joc and aac

what a game... well done wallabies but next week will be a different kettle of fish

[GIGS20]

I think they will keep Horne at 13 sheps on the bench. gits, barnes, horne drew joc and aac

what a game... well done wallabies but next week will be a different kettle of fish

unfortunately, I fear you're correct Bill. AAC is far too valuable at 15 under the high ball. The problem is that Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu will smash Horne into a paste!