ANSWER CALL OF THE UNION
EX-WALLABIES star Digby Ioane inspired a new generation of young players with his trademark try celebrations.
The turtle, the shower dance; they were moments that drew the eye of aspiring players across the country.
But his own journey from talented dreamer to international star was fuelled originally by witnessing a home World Cup. It is why he has thrown his support behind Australia’s 2027 bid, and he declared Townsville was a must to feature.
Ioane and former teammate Lachlan Turner recently landed in North Queensland from Toowoomba, after watching the Queensland Country Championships.
With 35 international caps to his credit, Ioane now actively engages with regional towns through the Classic Wallabies, and he saw plenty of talent in the Townsville Brolga juniors to suggest there was a wealth of potential in the North.
However, he said these up and coming players could not be what they could not see, and rugby union had fallen “behind the eight-ball” when it came to targeting prospective talent in a rugby league-dominated landscape.
For the enigmatic flyer, it was watching the likes of Lote Tuqiri when Australia last hosted the global showcase in 2003 that inspired his rise to prominence.
And Ioane declared that regardless of whether a successful World Cup bid was secured, more international and Super Rugby-standard contests needed to be held in Townsville to inspire the next generation to remain in the 15-man code.
“I saw some of the guys from Townsville (at the Country Championships), and I know there’s a league background here but you guys can play rugby,” he said.
“Honestly, I’m about seeing talent and how they read the game and react. One of the fullbacks named Daniel (Malum), he was an amazing player in the under 16s.
“We just need to get out in the community, especially schools, and for me we’re behind the eight ball. I think league has done an amazing job; they’ve gone into the community, they’ve gone to the public and that’s what we need to do.
“As a rugby union player we need to do more, go out to these schools we haven’t heard of and promote rugby, and identify these kids who don’t know rugby.
“I think everyone needs a fair chance to understand what rugby is all about; they could be the next big thing. For me it was Lote Tuqiri back in 2003 when we had the World Cup, that’s why I’m really involved in bidding for 2027.
“We get it and it’s a massive boost for Australia and just rugby in general.”
Turner’s pursuit of the gold jersey was born in a similar manner to Ioane – watching the 2003 Wallabies’ run to the final and the heartbreak suffered to England in extra time. The versatile outside back recalled that tournament “cemented in my heart my love for rugby” and from that point onwards he was chasing the game’s highest honours.
Turner said Townsville would be the perfect hub for teams should Australia earn the 2027 World Cup hosting rights, and the town needed to be part of future season plans. From there, the flow-on effects could generate a whole new demographic of regional athletes making their mark in the years to come.
“I think from 2003 and the players we had come after that really showed how important access to games and different cultures (is),” Turner said.
“It captured my imagination and love of the game, so it would be really good to see what comes of a potential 2027 World Cup here in Australia and the flow-on from that.
“It played a really important part in a lot of guys’ careers, so from that point of view I think it’s really important we get the World Cup out here.
“And then to bring it to regional places and give them access to games they don’t traditionally have because for one reason or another we’re stuck in the major hubs and the major stadiums … would be amazing as well.
“I have no doubt you’d see around 2035 a new generation of rugby stars coming through off the back of that.”