Ioane fined for referee rant

May 05, 2011

Queensland Reds back Digby Ioane was slapped with an A$2,000 fine on Wednesday for describing referee Keith Brown as the "worst ever ref" on his Twitter page last weekend.

A SANZAR Judicial Hearing found Ioane's tweet, which he later deleted, merited a fine and also ordered him to write a letter of apology to the New Zealand official.

Ioane, who missed the match with a hairline facial fracture, tweeted ''worst ref ever'' after Brown awarded a late penalty to the Hurricanes, which Aaron Cruden kicked as they beat the Reds 28-26.

Following an independently chaired hearing via teleconference, Super Rugby's governing body, SANZAR, fined the Wallabies winger $2000, and Ioane released a repentant media statement.

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''I am sorry for any harm that I may have caused. I've learned my lesson,'' he said in the statement following a charge of contravening the SANZAR code of conduct. ''Referees have a tough job to do and they deserve respect. I also understand what Twitter is all about now, but when it all comes down to it, I'm proud to be a member of the Reds and I just got carried away. It won't happen again.''

Ioane and the Reds were now focused on the game against the Rebels in Melbourne tomorrow night, the statement said. Ioane tweeted last night: ''Thanks everyone for the support. U guys rock! Now just can't wait to play!''

Last year, Brumbies star Matt Giteau was fined $5000 for attacking referee Steve Walsh following a controversial loss to NSW, while in 2007 Eddie Jones was penalised $10,000 for a long rant against another official, Matt Goddard.

Meanwhile, Wallabies prop Ben Daley has joked his modelling career remains alive, but serious Oxford law studies must wait after the Reds' rise convinced him to remain at home.

Daley signed a new two-year deal with the Queensland and Australian Rugby Unions yesterday just as he was named to return from surgery to straighten his badly broken nose.

The workaholic front-rower was knocked out cold and left bloodied in an ugly collision with Ben Mowen in the bruising 19-15 win over NSW two weeks ago, resulting in the operation and a week on the sidelines.

''The nose is fine and looking as per usual,'' he smiled. ''The modelling career is back on track.''

One of seven starting changes for the clash with the Rebels, Daley's return and re-signing are major boosts for Queensland.