No Ben Mowen thread?

[Scrubber2050]

I think everyone would agree that Kev's form was down in 2013. Why? Injury, I suppose would be the most likely of reasons but I'm sure there may be others ???

Best example is the Welsh game where he only made 4 runs for 13 metres.

To me Kev's running over the advantage line was the hallmark. He needs to get that go-forward aspect of his game back in order to be a certainty for the Wallabies and a possible return to captaincy

 

[Muttonbird]

They'll have to go back to Horwill in June, surely. Genia is no captain. QC (Quade Cooper) is full of risk.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think everyone would agree that Kev's form was down in 2013. Why? Injury, I suppose would be the most likely of reasons but I'm sure there may be others ???

Best example is the Welsh game where he only made 4 runs for 13 metres.

To me Kev's running over the advantage line was the hallmark. He needs to get that go-forward aspect of his game back in order to be a certainty for the Wallabies and a possible return to captaincy

I sincerely hope that Horwill can regain the form he had before his prolonged injury holiday. In that form, he was our best lock and certainly well up to competing with the best from SA and NZ. But in many of the games before he was replaced as captain by Mowen, there was a lot of criticism, especially on this site, about his short falls as captain - his apparent inability to reason with the refs, his too often poor decision making and some ill-discipline moments. I do not see him taking on the role of captain again even if his form warrants continued selection in the team. It must mean something that (a) he was replaced by Link, (b) he wasn't reinstated after again making the run on side, and (c) he was overlooked as vice captain in favour of Quade.

 

[Slim 293]

Anyone have a read of Rebecca Wilson's idiotic article that was pulled from the fox news website after only being up for 2 hours?

Unfortunately the article is still up on News' websites...........

She really is just one of the many, many people that represent all that is wrong with Murdoch's news outlets.........

 

[qwerty51]

Again, if this was actually a "serious" issue why not immediately suspend?

Because unfortunately for Link, as much as he would like to set standards for team culture, another loss would be far more damaging to him and the Wallabies brand after the already dismal 2013.

RE Rebecca Wilson

 

[Gnostic]

Having been away for a week or so I return to find one of my favourite players and somebody I pushed the barrow here for three years ago has elected to effectively "retire" from international Rugby.

From the outset when Mowen was still playing for the Reds I thought he had special skills and potential if developed. It highlights for me a problem with Australian Rugby. Mowen was for years the leading Lineout backrower in Australia and he couldn't even get a tour spot ahead of far more limited players with less potential such as Mumm and Denis. That is not intended as a slight on those two worthies either.

Now whilst I am disappointed that Mowen has retired we should consider that while this was his breakthrough year into the Wallabies we should consider that he is at the age where many backrowers are looking toward their end of career tour of the world. For example from the Professional era Kefu retired from tests at 30. Considering the injuries that Mowen has endured and the reasons he has given for this action I would suggest that it is indeed reasonable.

What I think should be lauded, and very highly, is his open and frank withdrawal from the test side before the start of the season. He has shown a degree of honesty that has been missing for some time and I hope this last act of leadership from him provides some example to others, even to the board level on how to approach these negotiations.

Good luck to him, in his recovery from the injury, this Super Season and the coming adventure at the end of the Super Season.

 

[Train Without a Station]

But in many of the games before he was replaced as captain by Mowen, there was a lot of criticism, especially on this site, about his short falls as captain - his apparent inability to reason with the refs, his too often poor decision making and some ill-discipline moments.

People putting the boot in when he was down on form. Rare. These didn't seem to be issues when the Wallabies and Reds were winning.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Horwill will be the leading captaincy candidate if he can continue to improve his form, like he had been as the tour progressed, back to where he was.

There was a reason why he had been Wallaby captain for 2 years, and Reds captain for something like 5 years, during their most successful period ever. I'm sure if he wasn't the best option, between James Slipper, Jake Shatz, Will Genia, Quade Cooper and Anthony Fainga'a they would have looked at an alternative to him.

 

[Brumby Runner]

People putting the boot in when he was down on form. Rare. These didn't seem to be issues when the Wallabies and Reds were winning.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Horwill will be the leading captaincy candidate if he can continue to improve his form, like he had been as the tour progressed, back to where he was.

There was a reason why he had been Wallaby captain for 2 years, and Reds captain for something like 5 years, during their most successful period ever. I'm sure if he wasn't the best option, between James Slipper, Jake Shatz, Will Genia, Quade Cooper and Anthony Fainga'a they would have looked at an alternative to him.

It will certainly be interesting to see how it plays out over the next two seasons.

 

[fatprop]

Horwill is a fine captain. The challenge last year was that injury made me question his place in the side as he was playing shit

 

[fatprop]

Because unfortunately for Link, as much as he would like to set standards for team culture, another loss would be far more damaging to him and the Wallabies brand after the already dismal 2013.

Yep, the issue clearly wasn't that serious or something would have been done immediately.

As to Mowen, as captain, if true, I thought a private team meeting (just the captain and his team) would have been more suitable than running to daddy.

 

[RugbyReg]

Mowen claimed a gruelling travelling schedule had taken its toll on his family life and that a move to France would offer an ideal solution for them all. While he is entitled to put family first, the decision to quit Australian rugby is one that the likes of Eales, Nick Farr-Jones and Mark Ella would find stupefying.

From Wilson's article, anyone see the irony here?

 

[USARugger]

From Wilson's article, anyone see the irony here?

When Spiros Zavos is the one writing the most level-headed article about anything to do with the Wallabies you know things are messed up..

 

[Swat]

From Wilson's article, anyone see the irony here?

That was the line that sent me over the edge. If Mowen was Ella, he would have retired 4 years before getting his first test cap.

 

[USARugger]

Seems she just lampoons anyone leaving their code for any reason:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/...-by-rugby-league/story-fn2mcuj6-1226703031196

What a fucking muppet.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Unfortunately opinions are like arseholes - everybody's got one.

 

[USARugger]

Unfortunately opinions are like arseholes - everybody's got one.

Having interned in a hospital I can confirm that not everyone has one..

I really need to just nuke that entire part of my memory.

It saddens me that anyone is actually paid to write drivel like this. How can someone who writes about footy even get through typing that sentence about Ella and co and not realize how completely insane it sounds?

Anyway..any indication of where Mowen is looking in France?

 

[Swat]

This guy has no opinion http://www.nbcnews.com/health/holy-crap-chinese-dude-lived-55-years-without-anus-1C6437420

 

[Brumby Jack]

I stand corrected, most people.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Anyway..any indication of where Mowen is looking in France?

Reported as Montpellier by Midi Olympique

 

[gel]

Having interned in a hospital I can confirm that not everyone has one..

I really need to just nuke that entire part of my memory.

It saddens me that anyone is actually paid to write drivel like this. How can someone who writes about footy even get through typing that sentence about Ella and co and not realize how completely insane it sounds?

Anyway..any indication of where Mowen is looking in France?

There have been a large number of such articles in the last year whereby the author writes an incredibly inflammatory article which inevitably leads to an unusually large number of replies. Of course to reply, you generally have sign up or something (like the smh and courier mail sites). Then those institutions quote their potential readership not only in traffic, but in actual subscriptions (generally more meaningful as it takes effort to sign up). The SMH just recently sent out a thank you notice indicating just how important it is to them (and advertisers of course).

If I were to come on here and state "the aru are backing the waratahs to win the Australian conference this year in an effort to raise the profile of rugby in Sydney to the inevitable detriment of other franchises" I would instantly be recognised for trolling, but there would probably be a decent sized thread for a short while and therefore increased traffic. (Of course it is actually true though).

These journos are paid to bullshit in order to increase readership and nothing more though, and it is there so called job.

How does it really benefit anything??? I often get caught up in the moment in a flash of red, before realising I have been trolled hard

I for one, thought Moweb did a pretty good job as captain for Australia and the ACT. Didn't like the number of penalties he gave away within 30m of the try line though - they were blatantly on purpose and think he should have been carded (but that's my personal dislike of the cynical crap that seems to be norm these days).