Benetton statement: Monty Ioane exits with 'mental health issues'
Italian URC club Benetton have revealed their contract with Monty Ioane has been terminated by mutual agreement just months after the Test winger agreed to an extension. The 27-year-old, who started all five matches for the Azzurri in this year’s Guinness Six Nations, hasn’t played for the Treviso-based club since April and won’t be starting the new 2022/23 URC season with them.
A statement read: “Benetton Rugby announces that it has consensually terminated the contract that linked the player Montanna Ioane to the green and white club until June 30, 2024. The Australian winger, who arrived in Treviso in November 2017, had collected 82 appearances and scored 155 points from 31 tries in his five seasons.
“The president Amerino Zatta, general manager Antonio Pavanello and all of Benetton Rugby thank Ioane for the precious contribution provided during the five seasons spent in green and white and wish him and his family the best for the future.”
Explaining what has happened and why he needed to quit Benetton, Ioane said in the club statement: “I thank Benetton Rugby for the enormous opportunity granted me in these splendid five years.
“In Treviso, I found a family ready to make me mature as a man and to give me support even in the most difficult moments, as well as a club that has allowed me to grow a lot from a sporting point of view.
'My dad called me before my first game and told me Digby called and was crying'
Freshly minted Azzurri @MontyIoane talks to @heagneyl ??? about Wallaby Uncle Digby, his ink, why he converted to Islam and how an obsession with rugby led to @Federugby https://t.co/9VkM1JDEFV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 31, 2021
“The termination of the contract with Benetton Rugby, despite the renewal which took place last December, comes due to mental health issues that have forced me to stop playing rugby in recent months. Issues that in this moment of my life lead me to stay in Australia close to my wife and my children. Finally, I would like to thank my teammates and the fans for the warmth shown to me. Come on, Leoni.”
Ioane subsequently confirmed to RugbyPass that he hopes to continue his playing career in Australia. “I will not stop playing rugby. I will just be continuing my rugby back home in Australia,” he explained.
A nephew of Digby, the 35-cap former Wallabies player, Ioane told RugbyPass last year: “Rugby was always my No1 and I was obsessed with it. It’s my job and it’s what I love to do but now I realise that rugby isn’t everything. I had a period where if I had a bad game I couldn’t sleep and it would literally take over me and I would start to be in a really bad place.
“Like even towards my family, which was not good because I really took it out on people if I had a bad game. I wouldn’t be satisfied unless the next game was a good game. That is how much rugby had taken over me. I reflected back on life a little bit and came to a realisation that rugby isn’t everything, that life is really valuable and precious and I should be enjoying it.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments