Australian-born Monty Ioane went to Italy for six months. It turned into a decorated Test career

Melbourne-born Italy winger Monty Ioane has played 48 times for his adopted country, but two Tests against the Wallabies in 2022 and 2025 are especially precious memories.

It helps that Ioane played a significant role in those games, Italy’s only two wins against the Wallabies, scoring a try in Udine in November. But ahead of taking on his country of birth for the third time, and the first time in Australia, the Tests remind Ioane how far he has travelled as a rugby player and in life.

Ioane is one of a long list of Australian-qualified players running out in a colour other than Wallabies gold. In the second round of the Nations Championship, 12 players represented another country: Italy used Louis Lynagh; Japan had Harry Hockings, Ben Gunter, Jack Cornelsen, Dylan Riley, Michael Stolberg and Sam Greene; Scotland had Jack Dempsey and Sione Tuipulotu; and France played Moses Alo-Emile, Emmanuel Meafou and Tom Staniforth.

After finishing his schooling at Brisbane rugby nursery Anglican Church Grammar School, or Churchie, Ioane left for France to take a contract with Stade Francais in Paris with his uncle, Wallaby Digby. Monty then had a two-season stint in New Zealand’s NPC, before Benetton in Italy changed his career and life.

Ioane’s stint in Italy was only ever meant to be short-term, a decision made purely to help create a better life for his daughter Tahira. However, it led to a new life as a Test rugby player, which he has never taken for granted.

“I still remember the first day of arriving in Italy until now,” he said. “It’s something that I’m quite proud of because I just remember being in the hotel in Italy and saying, ‘What am I doing here?’

“In that period where I decided to come to Italy, it was only supposed to be for a small stint, because my original decision was I wanted to stay and play Super Rugby.

“At that time, I’d just had my first daughter. Italy offered me a contract, which was for six months, and at that time it was a no-brainer because I was willing to do whatever it took to look after my daughter.

“That six-month contract was actually a little bit more money than what I got offered to go and play Super Rugby. I just didn’t know that I would have been there for longer than six months.

“The plan was to do six months and go back to Australia or New Zealand, wherever the opportunity was. But I made the decision to come abroad and this is where it’s brought me.”

Ioane now plays his club rugby in France, but every time that he sings the Italian national anthem, Fratelli d’Italia, he takes a moment to remember what the country has given him.

“There have always been people questioning whether it feels any different when I’m singing the anthem, or how it is as a foreigner singing the anthem,” Ioane said.

“Obviously I’m not Italian – I was born in Australia – but it doesn’t make me Australian either.

“For me, I want to give back to the country that was willing to allow me to have an opportunity, so when I stand there and sing the anthem, I sing it with as much pride as I can. It’s always emotional for me to represent Italy.”

Ioane has had a great view of the development of Italian rugby. The winger had to wait for nine games to get his first Test win for Italy, and that was against minnows Uruguay. Last year, Ioane was part of the squad that defeated England and Scotland in the Six Nations.

The new belief in Italian rugby has been perfectly timed, given the demise of their famed soccer team, which failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup. Ioane has noticed a shift in how the team is perceived since his Test debut in 2020 against Wales.

“My first time joining the squad, not many people knew who we were,” he said. “Not many people were really interested in knowing who we were, and that’s understandable – we were getting belted and nobody wants to be interested in that.

“Now when I go back to Italy, whether I’m in Rome or wherever we are for camps, people tend to notice who we are. It’s quite nice, and it’s awesome for Italian rugby.

“Especially with Italy not qualifying for the FIFA World Cup. It’s now a good way for Italians to keep themselves busy by watching the Six Nations.”

Against the Wallabies on Saturday, Ioane will have a large contingent of family in the stands cheering him on – a rare event. The winger is enjoying his time back in Australia, strolling on the beach in Perth, and he will take a moment before kick-off to reflect on his life in rugby and where it has taken him.

“This Test is quite personal for me because everything all started here in Australia – my whole life has been about rugby, even from school,” Ioane said.

“To go from school, to finishing school, to moving overseas because I wanted to try and become a professional rugby player – I always wanted to represent Australia.

“To be able to do it, especially playing against a lot of previous teammates that are playing in the Wallabies, it’s a really special occasion for me.”