Frustration has been expressed by suspended Queensland Reds and Wallabies winger Digby Ioane regarding his five-week Super Rugby ban for an unintentional lifting tackle.
On Wednesday, Ioane committed to not allowing it to happen again but was visibly perplexed when questioned about how to prevent a similar incident from occurring, such as the one involving Sharks’ flanker Marcell Coetzee three weeks prior.
His suspension arose from lifting Coetzee beyond the horizontal and subsequently driving him backward onto the ground, despite employing minimal force, during a crucial play in Queensland’s 27-22 defeat in Durban.
“I’ll make sure to safely put someone down next time, allowing them to run through,” Ioane stated.
“When players charge at you in your 22, it’s tough to decide in the heat of the moment and fast-paced play. I certainly didn’t intend to lift the guy.”
Though Ioane admitted guilt, the SANZAR judicial official regarded it as a significantly more severe infraction than the Reds, who felt it warranted a much lighter penalty.
The 26-year-old must still sit out two more matches for the struggling defending champions, who have greatly felt his absence in heavy defeats against the Bulls and Western Force due to his fierce style of play.
In 2008, Ioane faced a two-match suspension for two more serious lifting violations, which ultimately extended his current ban. Since then, he has diligently worked to eliminate dangerous driving tackles from his repertoire.
Watching the injury-plagued Reds struggle over the past two weeks has been challenging, but he remains careful about openly criticizing the duration of his suspension.
“I’ll defer to SANZAR for that – the decision rests with them. I have no complaints,” he remarked.
“It was likely pretty hazardous, and it appears I received what I deserved; it won’t occur again.”
“I’ve made it a priority to improve.”
Ioane is expected to return as Queensland heads to Auckland to face the Blues on April 27. In the meantime, he, along with three other Wallabies, will assist with coaching clinics abroad during the Reds’ bye week following the Good Friday match against the Brumbies.
He and inside centre Ben Tapuai will journey to Samoa, while halfback Will Genia will go to Papua New Guinea, and Radike Samo will travel to Fiji. They will act as ambassadors for the Pacific in Union program, which aims to leverage rugby for social development and educational purposes.
With over a third of Australia’s Super Rugby players having islander roots, Ioane emphasized the significance of the initiative in supporting Pacific rugby.
by Buford Balony
