IS this the beginning of the end for Stirling Mortlock?
I am the last person who wants to contemplate the possibility of watching the Wallabies this year without their inspirational captain leading them. But after being named on the wing for the Brumbies in tonight's important match with the Reds in Brisbane, it appears the writing is on the wall for Mortlock. Brumbies coach Andy Friend tried to spin a positive line when he was quoted this week as stating that Mortlock has played some of his best rugby this year on the wing, which in plain rugby speak means he is simply not happy with his form at outside centre. And after the embarrassing 56-7 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington, Friend has reasonable grounds for concern, especially when you consider that the Brumbies were smashed out wide. I feel for Mortlock who wanted to go head to head with Reds centre Digby Ioane and prove his value for the Brumbies and the Wallabies. But the coach has spoken.
Mortlock's form this year has been quiet by his high standards and he has not been the dominant presence we are used to. He first represented the Wallabies against Argentina in 2000 and now, at 32, one would think that his time is coming to an end. I know he wants to play in the next World Cup in New Zealand in 2011 but if he is struggling to find form now, he will find it harder to keep up with the next generation of players and he may be forced to re-examine his priorities. Mortlock has played 76 times for Australia, 25 as captain over the past three seasons which is an enormous honour. But how long can he carry on is the question.
Many critics have praised his performance and leadership in the past couple of years, especially when Wallabies coach Robbie Deans experimented by moving Mortlock to inside centre which in my opinion didn't work. Apart from the odd Test match in 2008, I thought the Wallabies played without any flair and or excitement and on occasions lacked imagination. As captain, Mortlock didn't lift the Wallabies to any great heights, although to be fair it was the beginning of a new era for Australian rugby under Deans and it wasn't his fault that the results weren't that inspiring. I have no doubt Deans will do the right thing and stick with Mortlock as captain when the Wallabies team is selected after the Super 14 competition is over, particularly for their pre-Tri-Nations matches against the Barbarians, Italy and France.
But the time will come sooner than later for Deans to consider the future and whether he can afford to carry senior players since Australian rugby is blessed with an abundance of young talent at the moment. It is in the best interests of Australian rugby and Deans to invest in the future. If this is the case, I can't see Mortlock playing a big part for much longer. If it is the case then the quandary for Deans is who would replace Mortlock at outside centre and who would become the next captain. There are a number of potential candidates for the coveted No13 jersey. And the first in line is Ryan Cross, from the Western Force, who deserves more playing time at the highest level. Of course, the in-form outside centre for Australia's Super 14 teams has been the Reds' Ioane who was plucked from the wing by coach Phil Mooney and has the enthusiasm to make the most of the position. Also, we shouldn't forget the qualities of Adam Ashley-Cooper, whose preferred position is outside centre, and the up and coming Rob Horne from the Waratahs and Tyrone Smith from the Brumbies, who will get better with more game time.
The biggest consideration for Deans this year or next is the captaincy. The next captain after Mortlock should obviously be a first-choice player with enough youth on his side to save choosing leaders every couple of years. There are not too many Wallabies that fit this criteria, with the two most likely candidates being five-eighth Matt Giteau and hooker Stephen Moore. Giteau has the experience and personality to lead the Wallabies into the next World Cup with Moore being a very capable vice-captain.
I hope Mortlock has a great game tonight and that he continues to thrill rugby fans across Australia with his robust play. But the time is nigh and, like all good things in life, nothing lasts forever. And I wish Mortlock well if it is only for this season or even next year, but 2011 I fear will be beyond the reach of even one of our greatest outside centres.
Can we agree on hyper sub-ordinary?