QRU braces for war with Digby Ioane after incident at Brisbane hotel
THE Queensland Rugby Union is preparing to go to war with its star winger Digby Ioane after he was refused entry to a Brisbane hotel restaurant on Sunday and it is fast becoming a question of whether he can quit the Reds before he is sacked.
The Australian understands Ioane's manager Anthony Piccone contacted the QRU a fortnight ago to confirm that the 27-year-old would not be taking up his option to remain with the Reds next year.
The Wallabies star has been in dispute with the QRU for some time over third party payments he believes he is owed and, with no resolution he would see as satisfactory in sight, has decided to quit the side he joined from the Western Force in 2008.
But an angry Reds chief executive Jim Carmichael last night said he was investigating the Ioane hotel incident at the Regatta Hotel - a sponsor of the QRU.
"He has a bigger problem than his contract and that's his conduct," Carmichael said. It is understood the 34-Test winger was involved in an altercation with Regatta staff when they refused to admit him bare-chested to a restaurant at the well-known Brisbane riverside hotel.
He later tweeted about the incident, attacking the hotel.
The incident comes barely a month after Ioane was stood down from a Reds match after getting involved in an incident at a Melbourne bar.
In the event the Reds refuse to allow him to go to another Australian Super Rugby franchise, and Carmichael is threatening to take legal action against him and his agent if he finds approaches have been made to them, Ioane's only alternative - but one he is understood to be happy to pursue - would be to play overseas.
Ioane hopes the ARU will decide he is free to negotiate with another Australian union if that keeps him playing for the Wallabies, but Carmichael was confident the ARU would back Queensland's contract with him.
Even if Ioane faces disciplinary action, indications are the Reds are set for an even bigger battle to counter his bid to get out of the third year of his contract.
"At this stage we have an agreement that the only way he can play at any other (Australian) franchise than the Reds is if he declines an offer from the ARU - and I agree to it," Carmichael said. "He's going nowhere unless I release him."
Earlier yesterday, Reds coaching boss Ewen McKenzie and captain James Horwill both disputed a report in The Australian yesterday by Bret Harris that Ioane had fallen out with the QRU and wanted to quit Ballymore.
McKenzie, who has handed contracting negotiations to his successor as Reds coach next year, Richard Graham, said he knew of no problems with Ioane. "I'm not too stressed about it. Digby is out there playing good rugby for us so I'm happy about that," he said.
Horwill denied a report in The Australian he was in a contractual dispute with the Reds, a view Carmichael supported last night.
Indeed, Carmichael insisted Horwill had signed a two-year deal and only needed to conclude his negotiations with the ARU.
