White shocked by Mowen snub

Updated May 28, 2012 11:54:32

Brumbies coach Jake White is flabbergasted by Ben Mowen's continued absence from Wallabies squads after his captain was again overlooked by Robbie Deans..

While eight Brumbies players, including five uncapped improvers, rode off the back of the ACT franchise's terrific Super Rugby rise, back rower Mowen was unlucky to be left out of the 39-man training squad.

Mowen was still ignored despite three 2011 World Cup back row selections - Rocky Elsom, Radike Samo and Matt Hodgson - all being omitted by Deans' selection panel.

The 27-year-old lost out with former New South Wales Waratahs team-mates Dave Dennis and Wycliff Palu and Western Force No.8 Ben McCalman preferred ahead of the Brumbies skipper.

The decision is one which former World Cup-winning South Africa coach White can not get his head around considering Mowen's form and leadership value for the Australian conference leaders.

"I must be honest, I'm not just saying it because it's Ben, I just don't understand why he has never been picked," White said.

"The reality is he's versatile, he's a great leader, he's captained a lot of these players at junior level.

"I think he's showed he's got something special, not just the way he's led the team but the way he's played."

A surprise choice as captain by White, Mowen has impressed at both No.8 and blindside flanker for the Brumbies who remain five points ahead of defending champions Queensland despite their 13-12 loss to the Reds on Saturday night.

The unexpected rise of White's team has seen prop Dan Palmer, openside flanker Michael Hooper, half-back Nic White, winger Joe Tomane and full-back Jesse Mogg all selected for their first Test squads.

With World Cup trio Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander and Pat McCabe, the Brumbies tally of eight is three less than both Queensland and New South Wales.

The Reds would have had 13 if not for deflating injuries to captain James Horwill (hamstring) and utility back Ben Lucas (groin).

Horwill will undergo scans on Monday while star back Kurtley Beale will receive results of scans on an ongoing shoulder problem.

Beale exacerbated the injury in the Melbourne Rebels 66-24 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday and he's in doubt for the opening Tests of the year against Scotland (June 5) and Wales (June 9).

Despite just 120 minutes of rugby in his return from a knee reconstruction, Quade Cooper was included in the squad due to injuries to Beale, James O'Connor, Christian Lealiifano and Lucas.

New South Wales duo Berrick Barnes and Bernard Foley also loom as five-eighth candidates.

The biggest bolter of the squad is Rebels lock Cadeyrn Neville, a 202cm former AIS rower who only started playing fourth grade with Manly in 2009 and made his Super Rugby debut in the past month.

He has played just four Super Rugby games.

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-rugby, australia, act

First posted May 28, 2012 10:10:51

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White cards tipped to reduce foul play

Updated February 20, 2012 18:06:37

Super Rugby referees believe the introduction of a white card this season will take pressure off them and help the game's authorities remove foul play.

The white card will allow referees to refer to a citing commissioner alleged incidents like biting and gouging that on field officials might not have seen.

"I think it will assist us in removing incidents from the game that the IRB and SANZAR are trying to remove and clean up the game in terms of foul play," referee Andrew Lees said.

"That (new system) makes it a bit clearer for the public, who in the past may not have known things are going to the citing commissioner. We're just making the the process a bit more transparent to the public eye."

Another referee, Ian Smith, did not think the white card would lead to a reduction in yellow cards that result in a 10-minute 'sin bin' for the offender.

"But it gives us another resource that we can use for an item that may not meet a red card threshold," Smith said.

Waratahs coach Michael Foley supported the introduction of the white card.

"I think anything that helps tidy up that judicial process, makes it slicker, is a good thing," he said.

"I see only positives in it."

AAP

Tags: sport, super-14, rugby-union, australia

First posted February 20, 2012 18:06:37

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White not swapping Brumbies for England

Updated March 09, 2012 19:54:29

Jake White has confirmed he is committed to staying as coach of the Brumbies for the entirety of his four-year contract and will not be applying for the vacant England job.

White fronted the media in Canberra on Friday evening for the first time since confirming he had an interest in the England job.

He said he was disappointed by the criticism in the media and that it was not a sin to have had originally signalled an interest.

"It's something I'd look at - it doesn't mean now, it doesn't mean leaving my job," he said.

Asked directly if he was still interested in taking the job currently filled on an interim basis by Stuart Lancaster, he responded: "No, no, no, no."

"I'm here for four years with the Brumbies.

"I've signed on the bottom line and you've got to judge people by their actions.

"Nothing's changed - I'm still committed to the Brumbies."

White, who won the 2007 Rugby World Cup with South Africa, said he had a full backing of his young Brumbies squad.

"More than 200 per cent," he said, adding that the players believed him at his word.

"One thing I do as coach is make sure I never lose the changerooms.

"I probably have more confidence with them than when I started."

White conceded that a national job with England would always be tempting to him for the chance to become the first coach to win two World Cups.

But he said too much had been made of the issue - something he attributed to the Brumbies' troubled history.

"With the past histories and with the baggage that came from last year, there's probably a little bit of sensitivity," White said.

"But I can't be liable for that."

Skipper Ben Mowen was standing by his coach on Friday.

"I'm one of the guys who he's got a really good relationship with but I'm by no means the only one," Mowen said.

"He's got a really good dynamic within the group and I think that's why we're in the good head space that we are."

The Brumbies are looking to secure their second win of the season against the Cheetahs at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, canberra-2600, act, australia

First posted March 09, 2012 19:54:29

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White targets Gregan, Jones for Brumbies

Updated April 27, 2011 22:11:00

New Brumbies coach Jake White has hit the road running, sizing up George Gregan and former coach Eddie Jones amongst a number of former stars to get the Canberra side back to the top of Super Rugby.

The former World Cup-winning Springboks coach has already made calls to a number of Brumbies old boys before even officially starting his role as coach, with his contract set to start in the 2012 season.

And he says any future successes will have roots in the past, with ex-Wallabies captain Gregan and close friend Jones key to rebuilding a winning culture.

"I've already said it to Eddie, I've already left a message for George Gregan as well," White told ABC Grandstand.

"I think one of the things I've always seen is that you need those guys who've been there and done it, understand the culture, just to make sure they can add whatever they can.

"Im going to try and get guys like Gregan and [Steve] Larkham, Joe Roff, Rod Kafer and Jeremy Paul and all the guys who were part of such a successful campaign to contribute in ways that they can make sure the Brumbies get back to being a top team in the Super Rugby campaign.

"I'd like to believe that we're going to get back to winning ways and I think one way of doing it is just to go back to the things that made the Brumbies different.

"They've always been a very innovative team, they've always been a team that have been leaders in rugby - not only in the Super Rugby competition but around the world ... and they've always had that ability to draw the top players to want to be part of the Brumbies."

White's close friendship with Jones means the former Wallabies and Brumbies coach could rejoin the Canberra side in an advisory role.

Jones guided the Brumbies to their first Super Rugby title back in 2001 prior to taking the helm at the Wallabies.

"Im going to make sure Eddie Jones is part of it. At the end of the day you'd be crazy [not to consider him] ...Eddie Jones has been a very successful Brumbies coach," he said.

"He's been there and done it, he understands what made the Brumbies famous.

"Eddie's said to me that he would love to help, obviously he won't be there full-time, he'll be coming as a consultant and helping me, sometimes on the field, sometimes off the field.

"The bottom line is just giving the players whatever they need to become number one."

Jones was famously appointed by White as a technical adviser to the Springboks in their triumphant 2007 World Cup campaign.

"When I did eventually strike up a friendship with Eddie, I just said 'listen what is it that you guys are doing [at the Brumbies?]" White said.

"As a junior coach in South Africa I was lucky enough to be invited to go and spend two weeks at the Brumbies and at that point Eddie had been the Wallabies coach.

"I've been a big fan of the way the Brumbies have approached rugby from the day that they started."

O'Connor interest

White was coy on potential signings, but says he would consider the opportunity to pick up Western Force gun James O'Connor if it came up.

"The whole world would love to sign James O'Connor," he said.

"He's got a South African mum and a New Zealander dad, so maybe he'd feel a bit more allegiance coming to a South African coach playing for the Brumbies.

"But I've said to him you've seen the way the Brumbies play and the way the Brumbies have played in the past, and hopefully the Brumbies can give that to you and turn you into one of the best players in the world."

He is also keen to keep hold of all the Wallabies players in the Brumbies squad, including Australia skipper Rocky Elsom.

Elsom is reportedly attracting interest from the Waratahs and his contract finishes at the end of the season, with prolonged negotiations with the Australian Rugby Union continuing over his future.

"I'd loved to keep Adam Ashley-Cooper, I'd love to keep Matt Giteau, I'd love to keep Rocky Elsom, all the Wallabies," White said.

"I think they're a very important part of being a successful team.

"I'd love [Elsom] to stay, I'd love him to be part of the Brumbies and I need his experience, I need his leadership. It would be sad if he wanted to leave the Brumbies."

While Brumbies legend Larkham is now the current assistant coach, White says he will try and get the best he can out of the current backroom staff before considering changes.

"Everyone's in the job and I don't want to create uncertainty. The fairest way of doing it would be to first assess and see what they've got, see who does what and what added value they bring to the team," he said.

"At the end of the day it's not just the assistant coaches, it's the support staff and everybody at Brumbie-land needs to make sure they can add value to the Brumbies set up."

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, act, canberra-2600

First posted April 27, 2011 17:33:00

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Interview: Jake White

Published:Tuesday, October 11, 2011 1:08 AEDTExpires:Monday, January 9, 2012 1:08 AEDT

New Brumbies coach Jake White told Grandstand's Tim Gavel he is committed to the Super Rugby outfit but has not ruled out going for the Springboks coaching post set to be vacated by Peter de Villiers.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, rugby-world-cup

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Brumbies' White adds reinforcements

Posted May 25, 2011 16:01:00

New Brumbies coach Jake White has re-signed second-rower Peter Kimlin and snared promising Northern Suburbs back Cam Crawford to two-year deals as the former Springbok mentor begins the process of turning around the struggling franchise.

Kimlin, who played two Tests for the Wallabies in 2009, will bolster the Super Rugby club's depleted back row stocks as a result of losing France bound Mark Chisholm and Mitch Chapman, who is headed for Japan in 2012.

Outside-back Cam Crawford - tipped to play full-back next season - will debut for the Canberra-based franchise after starring last year for Northern Suburbs in Sydney's Shute Shield competition.

The 2011 Brumbies Academy member was second top try-scorer in the Sydney club competition, and at 99 kilograms and 193 centimetres, will add bulk to the Brumbies backline.

The Brumbies are enduring their worst season since the competition began 15 years ago, with two wins, nine losses and a draw so far in 2011.

It is hoped White, who takes over from current coach Tony Rea in July, can turn the club's fortunes around like he did for the South African national team when he took the helm in 2003, ultimately overseeing victory at the 2007 World Cup.

Crawford said he had knocked back offers in order to play under White.

"There was an offer from another Super Rugby team to make a move, but with Jake White coming in and the club looking to move forward, I felt that the Brumbies was the right fit for me," the 22-year-old said.

Kimlin said he had also chosen the Brumbies, despite interest from other clubs.

"I'm from the ACT and it's been a pleasure to have played all my Super Rugby here, I'm really looking forward to the next couple of years," he said.

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, act, canberra-2600

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Interview: Jake White

Published:Thursday, May 19, 2011 12:41 AESTExpires:Wednesday, August 17, 2011 12:41 AEST

Incoming coach Jake White discusses the challenges facing the Brumbies in the Super Rugby competition.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, australia, act, canberra-2600

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