Mowen set to be rugby"s "Mr Cricket"

The gentile world of cricket and the brutal battlegrounds of rugby could not be further apart, but the similarities between Wallabies hopeful Ben Mowen and a man they call ‘Mr Cricket’ are undeniable.

Mike Hussey dominated bowling attacks in Sheffield Shield and County cricket for a full decade before finally making his Test debut in 2004 at the tender age of 30.

By the time he pulled stumps on his Test career in January, the Western Australian had belted 6,235 runs at an average of 51, with 19 centuries.

Brumbies No.8 Mowen has also been forced to work harder than most to reach the pinnacle of his chosen sport, racking up over 70 Super Rugby games for three franchises over eight seasons without earning a single Wallabies cap.

But like ‘Mr Cricket’, the 28-year-old refused give up on his dream and faces the very real prospect of making his Test debut against the British Irish Lions in Brisbane on June 22.

“This is the calmest I’ve ever felt when I’ve been in this environment,” Mowen said from Wallabies camp in Sydney.

“I feel very confident in my game, I feel like I’ve done the work on all those little areas and I think I’ve ticked a lot of those boxes.

“I definitely feel as though I’m the most complete player I’ve been for a very long time and I do look to guys like (Mike) Hussey who have done that work and backed themselves.

“And you can’t do that unless there’s a huge driving passion at the end of the day to represent Australia, and I certainly have that burning desire.”

The father of one admits it was more than a little tempting to accept big-money offers from cashed-up clubs in France and Japan.

And he came pretty close to leaving as he was passed up for Wallabies squad after Wallabies squad under Robbie Deans, despite turning in good performance after good performance for the Waratahs and Brumbies.

“Even last year and the year before there’s been some really good opportunities to chase employment overseas,” he said.

“… But talking it through with my wife – I’m very fortunate to have her voice – and she said, ‘it doesn’t matter about that (money), you don’t want to be retired and look back and think what could have been’.

“And I think when you make those types of commitments they usually lead to a reward.”

Mowen was named in Deans’ preliminary 25-man squad for the Lions series last month, with a bench spot his most likely option.

However, injuries to blindside flanker Scott Higginbotham (shoulder) and number eight Wycliff Palu have opened the door for Mowen to possibly start in the first Test.

Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis and Western Force number eight Ben McCalman could stand in his way, but ‘Mr Rugby’ is ready and willing to fill the void in either position.

“I feel like I’ve got a good balance between both those positions and in terms of the way we want to play here it’s an easy transition,” he said.

Article source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rugby-wade-kvesic-start-england-152013525.html

Mowen set to be rugby"s "Mr Cricket"