#7 Ben Mowen
Now this one is an interesting decision because it is a selection based almost entirely on hindsight but it’s hard to look past a ‘one-cap Red’ who would go on to become a Wallaby captain.
Mowen won his solitary Super Rugby appearance for the Reds off the bench in Durban in a high-scoring loss to the Sharks. Wishing to try his luck in Sydney, Mowen left Queensland to play club rugby for Randwick before finally managing to get some game time for the Tahs in 2008. It would not be until he left the Tahs to make room for Rocky Elsom, and join the Brumbies in 2012 did Mowen’s career path really sore.
Leadership skills he displayed as the captain of the Queensland Under 19s and then Junior Waratahs saw him controversially chosen to captain the Brumbies by coach Jake White in 2012. Steve Larkham would go on to name him as one the best leaders he had come across.
Mowen developed into one of the premier lineout forwards in Australia and made his debut for the Wallabies in the 2013 Lions series before inheriting the captaincy just seven tests later.
Mowen’s path at Queensland was seemingly blocked but the incumbent captain, John Roe, and young backrower Mitchell Chapman. Once again, a decision you can understand on behalf of the player but one I am sure some folk at Ballymore would want to change if they had their time again.
