Mowen back in Brisbane for Tens

Thu, Jan 11, 2018, 11:04 PM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
Ben Mowen will be playing in front of a home crowd. Photo: AFP
Ben Mowen will be playing in front of a home crowd. Photo: AFP

Former Wallabies skipper Ben Mowen will be back in Brisbane next month, playing for Pau at the Brisbane Tens.

The French Top 14 side are bringing plenty of stars to the second Tens tournament, including former All Blacks centre Conrad Smith. 

Mowen hasn't played in Australia since walking away from the Wallabies captaincy in 2014, to head to France, playing for Montpellier and Pau in Europe.

The 33-year-old skippered a Wallaby XV side in Bordeaux in 2016 against a French Barbarians team but hasn't played in front of a home crowd since leaving.

Pau returned to the Top 14 ahead of the 2015-16 after 12 years in the Pro D2 and coach Simon Mannix said the team had taken enormous strides since their promotion.

Simon Mannix will steer Pau in Brisbane. Photo: Getty Images“The direction of the club is very ambitious,” Mannix said.

“Our club has come a long way in the last three-and-a-half years, establishing a strong foothold. Now we want to show that we can be competitive not only in the Top 14 but in Europe – and get that exposure internationally."

Mannix said it would be an important test for the players against current-day Super Rugby players.

"It’s an incredible opportunity,” he said.

“Nobody ever forgets where they come from – where they were formed as rugby players, what their influences were.

“For the likes of Conrad Smith, Tom Taylor, Frank Halai, Benson Stanley and Jamie Mackintosh, these guys have such tremendous pride as New Zealanders and in New Zealand rugby. To pit themselves against [Super Rugby players] now, they are really excited about the challenge.

“And for the French boys it is a bit of a dream to line up against these Super Rugby franchises.”

The tournament is a great chance for players who have plied their trade overseas to reconnect with their home town fans, Mannix said.

“It is great for guys who have obviously played a lot of rugby in the southern hemisphere to get a final opportunity to do so again.”

SQUAD

Pau for Brisbane Tens

Conrad Smith

Colin Slade

Ben Mowen

Steffon Armitage

Thomas Taylor

Lourens Adriaanse

Frank Halai

Jamie Mackintosh

Ignacio Calles

Lucas Rey

Quentin Lespiauq

Jeremy Hurou

Daniel Ramsay

Giovanni Habel Kuffner

Pierrick Gunther

Baptiste Pesenti

Martin Puech

Thibault Daubagna

Clovis Lebail

Bastien Pourailly

Brandon Fajardo

Mathias Colombet

Watisoni Votu

Florian Nicot

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