Ben Mowen survives alleged mutiny plot.........

[Hugh Jarse]

Once Team Rehab are released back to the Wobs, I can't see Mowen making run on squad, and would even struggle to be in the 23. There is a lot of competition in the back row department.

 

[blues recovery]

Worked in Rugby admin for a while and can tell you every story written by Brett Harris over that time was nonsense. Guy is a disgrace of a human.No wonder Wayne Smith can't stand him.

 

[Tiger]

Harris is so blatantly pro Deans, pro O'Connor, pro Elsom, anti Cooper, pro O'Neill, anti McKenzie that it isn't even funny.

He finds a way to push those agendas in any given story.

It shits me to tears.

 

[SammyP]

Any man who plays through this is alright with me. These other players aint the coach they don't select the captain. Mowen's doing a good job..

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/w...-fit-for-matches/story-e6frf55l-1226771606684

Wow, kinda mixed emotions. Total admiration for his dedication but really hoping no long term damage. But yes, my opinion of him has just risen ... again!
I believe he is doing a good job as captain. He has the kind of dedication and temperament that is ideal, and honestly something that I haven't seen in a player in a while. I'm sure Link knows what he was doing appointing him, and if he didn't think he was doing a good job would change things like he has done with the combinations in the starting 15.

 

[TOCC]

Out of all that the July thing which left me bemused was the claim that the winning % was an indicator of a captains worth..

In the long term it might be a reflection, but glossing over the difference in quality of opposition is just tailoring the statistics to support an argument.

#JournoRubbish

 

[ShtinaTina]

I somehow feel there's more to this than what's being written.
It wouldn't surprise me if there was some discord in relation to his captaincy. Surely there are some that have felt overlooked by not getting the honours & others that might find it a bit tough that Ben's only been there for a few games & now is their leader.
I am sure Link scrutinised Ben's leadership skills both on & off the field & chose him based on these qualities, and these are what he deems necessary for preparation for RWC2015.
But does the Team get a look in on this decision? Doubt it.
And would they have necessarily picked him? Can't say I'd like to choose who'd get the honours.

The win/loss percentage is a bit fluffy, there are too many variables not only team based but opposition based to skew that.

The article about Ben's neck leaves me feeling very concerned for his discs in the future. Stoic, but it makes me feel uneasy, he knows his limits so he must've felt confident with his decision.

 

[Brumbieman]

I think Mowen is doing an excellent job. People have been bagging his comparative lack of form to his first couple of games against the Lions, and rightly so. However, that article about his neck explains a lot, especially why he's been slowly regaining his form. If he's lost a lot of power in his left shoulder, it explains why he's not been as dominant as he was against the Lions.

RE the captaincy:

Horwill: I think it's pretty telling that Link, the man who coached him at the Reds, thought Mowen was a better captain. Not many coaches would know Horwill better than Link, and after only a few games Link has decided he thinks Mowen is a better captain,. Kev is a great leader when on form, in a smash people and follow me style, but captaincy and ref managing just aren't his strengths.

Moore: It's also pretty telling that he's never been made captain even at Super rugby level. Great player, but some people just aren't leaders, and Moore seems to fall into that group. Three straight coaches at the Brumbies alone have decided that.

Long term: I don't see any reason he wont be first choice. At blindside, he's a pretty clear standout in Super rugby. Fardy is a 2nd row, he's playing blindside because of the knock on effect of not having any other decent enough options at 8. Hence Mowqen playing there, and Fardy moving out to the backrow. I'd imagine once Higgers returns, he'll claim the 6 or 8 jersey, and hopefully Fardy moves into the 2nd row to partnera big psycho at tighthead prop. Hopefully Kev, and Link seems to feel the same way, hence dropping him to regain his form.

Fardy
Horwill
Mowen
Pocock/Hooper
Higgers

is a hell of a back five and one i'd wager Link will be very keen to get onto the field. Two loose-ish, rangy players in Fardy and Higgers, and two tight breakdown/tackling workers, with two different styles in the 7 jersey.

 

[Tomikin]

I think Mowen is doing an excellent job. People have been bagging his comparative lack of form to his first couple of games against the Lions, and rightly so. However, that article about his neck explains a lot, especially why he's been slowly regaining his form. If he's lost a lot of power in his left shoulder, it explains why he's not been as dominant as he was against the Lions.

RE the captaincy:

Horwill: I think it's pretty telling that Link, the man who coached him at the Reds, thought Mowen was a better captain. Not many coaches would know Horwill better than Link, and after only a few games Link has decided he thinks Mowen is a better captain,. Kev is a great leader when on form, in a smash people and follow me style, but captaincy and ref managing just aren't his strengths.

Moore: It's also pretty telling that he's never been made captain even at Super rugby level. Great player, but some people just aren't leaders, and Moore seems to fall into that group. Three straight coaches at the Brumbies alone have decided that.

Long term: I don't see any reason he wont be first choice. At blindside, he's a pretty clear standout in Super rugby. Fardy is a 2nd row, he's playing blindside because of the knock on effect of not having any other decent enough options at 8. Hence Mowqen playing there, and Fardy moving out to the backrow. I'd imagine once Higgers returns, he'll claim the 6 or 8 jersey, and hopefully Fardy moves into the 2nd row to partnera big psycho at tighthead prop. Hopefully Kev, and Link seems to feel the same way, hence dropping him to regain his form.

Fardy
Horwill
Mowen
Pocock/Hooper
Higgers

is a hell of a back five and one i'd wager Link will be very keen to get onto the field. Two loose-ish, rangy players in Fardy and Higgers, and two tight breakdown/tackling workers, with two different styles in the 7 jersey.

Simmions has surprised me though and we may see big kev or Fardy benched... I do really wanna see Fardy in the 2nd row but he might get squeezed.

On Moore I wonder if telling Gits to kick it out against the reds that year affected coaches thoughts Captain's should be ruthless.. No matter the game.

I applaud Gits telling him to f off im the Captain. .

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[Slim 293]

A response to Harris' rubbish.........

Elevated to the captaincy before the England Test in his first season of international rugby, Mowen has been given strong support and endorsement from coach Ewen McKenzie.

A surprised McKenzie rubbished speculation from one Australian newspaper report that Mowen had survived an attempted mutiny from teammates.

The coach categorically rejected claims a delegation of players, or any individual, had approached him over concerns about the Brumbies No.8’s leadership.

An unfazed Mowen scoffed at the article’s claims and denied he had any concerns after checking with McKenzie.

‘‘We talked through the facts of it and there weren’t any facts in it,’’ he said.

‘‘The relationships I’ve had with the guys and within the group have been really strong all tour.

‘‘This last week has been one of the most enjoyable all year and you don’t get that sort of enjoyment unless everything is going well.’’

McKenzie also dismissed reports from the same newspaper the camp had been divided following his decision to mete out one-Test bans to six players who had a late night out in Dublin.

‘‘If they look unhappy I will eat my hat,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s unsettling in a way,’’ he added. ‘‘These things appear out of the blue without any substance to them.’’


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/victory-over-wales-would-cap-successful-tour-wallabies-captain-ben-mowen-20131130-2yhqq.html#ixzz2m7GCpWxV

 

[Muttonbird]

A response to Harris' rubbish...

Barbarian will be disappointed. Mowen was to be strung up after one match in charge, thrown in the deep end when captain after captain couldn't do the job.

 

[Scotty]

Simmions has surprised me though and we may see big kev or Fardy benched. I do really wanna see Fardy in the 2nd row but he might get squeezed.

On Moore I wonder if telling Gits to kick it out against the reds that year affected coaches thoughts Captain's should be ruthless.. No matter the game.

I applaud Gits telling him to f off im the Captain. .

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

The inside word is that Moore is sometimes a destabilising force in the wallaby playing group. I have heard he has also clashed with Mowen recently - and it was basically Moore being disrespectful that caused it.

 

[barbarian]

Barbarian will be disappointed. Mowen was to be strung up after one match in charge, thrown in the deep end when captain after captain couldn't do the job.

??? what a load of rubbish.

 

[The Red Baron]

The inside word is that Moore is sometimes a destabilising force in the wallaby playing group. I have heard he has also clashed with Mowen recently - and it was basically Moore being disrespectful that caused it.

And the rumor mill goes into overdrive..

 

[Brumby Runner]

And the rumor mill goes into overdrive..

So often it seems to come from somewhere north of the Tweed.

 

[Ruggo]

So often it seems to come from somewhere north of the Tweed.

Like Ben Mowen did?

 

[BPC]

So often it seems to come from somewhere north of the Tweed.

Technically, they are all well north of the Tweed at the moment.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Technically, they are all well north of the Tweed at the moment.

Depends. Where they are, there is a River Tweed. They are are all south of that Tweed.

Runs through the Scottish Borders.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I'd say Mowen has been a good captain if not an excellent BSF or 8. I also wonder if his form drop since the Lions tour is due to the wasting of his left arm and the spinal injury.

Next year, as every player has to, he will have to earn the spot again through soup form.

 

[Ruggo]

Honestly I think Mowen has cemented a place in the Wallaby 23 but the level of competion at that 8 spot should all remain fit doesn't bode well for a first 15 spot. There could of been riggle room in the back row but Fardy I think has put some serious runs on the board for that starting 6 spot.

It's great to have this depth and it is genuine depth. Mowen from the bench could be a valuable asset.

 

[Slim 293]

I think Fardy is the biggest threat to Mowen's starting spot.........

Fardy is the best 6 Australia has fielded in years and has cemented his spot in the run on team, but he can also play lock without losing his effectiveness around the field.......

However, our next best lock has been Simmons and neither of them are a true TH lock so it won't work to play them together in the second row.........

Higgers is best at 8, so he should be fighting it out with Palu at the back of the scrum.........

Having said all that, Mowen's leadership shouldn't be undervalued, and he is the driving force behind our excellent line out (credit to Simmons as a jumper though) and has a very high work rate.......

A couple of different variations could include:

4. Fardy
5. Horwill
6. Mowen
7. Pocock/Hooper
8. Higgers (without Simmons I'd prefer Higgers over Palu due to his lineout abilities)

or

4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Fardy
7. Pocock/Hooper
8. Palu/Higgers


But anything could happen between now and the next test match........