Wallabies and Reds star winger Digby Ioane looks set to give the cold shoulder a lucrative Japanese contract offer in order to help the Reds with their Super Rugby title defence.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has revealed that he is preparing for the 2012 Super Rugby season as of Ioane will be playing for the Reds.
Ioane reportedly gave Japanese club Kubota verbal agreement that he would sign a million-dollar-a-season contract but his success with the Reds and the Wallabies has convinced him that he should be in Australia.
McKenzie says that he is unsure when the 26-year-old Ioane will re-sign but believes it is only a matter of time before he puts pen to paper.
“I’m not stressing about it,” McKenzie told AAP.
“It’s been trickling along for some time but I’ve been quietly confident the whole time so it’s not something I’m worried about.
“I’m sure he and his management team will sort it out eventually.”
Ioane has had throughout this season said that he would make his decision after the Rugby World Cup but he has been named for the Wallabies two-match tour of the United Kingdom instead of starting with Kubota who have already started their rugby season.
“It’s a good sign,” McKenzie said.
“The longer there’s no news the better it is because in the end it lines up better with our season rather than theirs.