Injured Ioane out for six months

Digby Ioane © Reuters Images

Wallabies and Queensland Reds winger Digby Ioane will miss most or all of the 2009 test season following a planned left shoulder reconstruction which is expected to keep him on the sidelines for six months.

Ioane would have been a starter in Australia's backline for the domestic test season that includes matches against Italy and France, and the Tri-Nations tournament. He is a longshot to be available for Australia's European tour in November.

Australia coach Robbie Deans earlier this week said Ioane would be one of the "first names registered" for the Wallabies opening match of 2009 against the Barbarians in Sydney on June 6 if he was cleared of the shoulder injury.

Ioane first damaged his left shoulder in Queensland's 31-24 loss to the Lions on April 18. The 23-year-old Ioane aggravated the injury against the ACT Brumbies two weeks ago.

Reds coach Phil Mooney said the decision to have an operation was made after a specialist examined Ioane on Wednesday and made in consultation with Deans.

"It's a real blow for Digby, who I'm sure would have walked into the Wallaby side this year on the back of his exceptional performances for the Reds at outside center," Mooney said Thursday.

"The news also came as a shock to Digby. He's never faced such a long period on the sidelines before so he's getting his head around that reality." Ioane, who was born in Wellington, New Zealand but moved to Australia when he was 5, has played four tests for the Wallabies, scoring two tries.

He made his debut on June 3, 2007 against Wales in Brisbane, making a try-saving tackle and later scoring a try. He scored his second try also against Wales a year later at Cardiff.

Read more on the June Internationals page.

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