Pay rise denied for Wallaby captain

Ben Mowen ahead of Australia's clash with Italy at Olimpico Stadium in Italy. Source: Valerio Pennicino / Getty Images

WALLABIES coach Ewen McKenzie has rejected the idea of giving his new captain Ben Mowen a guaranteed top-up contract, but has revealed that he and other players stand to receive bonus points for every five Tests they play.

As part of the ARU's cost-cutting measures, Wallabies players are now only entitled to a top-up

contract once they've played in the side consistently over two years.

It has created an unusual situation for Mowen, who made his Test debut this year at age 28, but

has now been installed as preferred skipper of the side.

Other Wallabies players who signed contracts before the ARU announced its new top-up edict are earning up to three times the salary of Mowen, who is considering his options and could be open to a move overseas next year.

Asked if it was fair that the national captain was not being given a guaranteed top-up payment

from the ARU, McKenzie said: "The top-ups is performance over time, it just so happens that Benny Mowen has just started out in his Test career and someone has given him that (captaincy)

responsibility.

"He's still got to be a performer over time, that's how the top-up process works.

"But that's not to say people aren't incentivised. Top-up payments are a guaranteed situation, but

everyone gets paid for the participation of a Test match, and there might be incentives after

that, you play five Tests and you get a bonus.

"It's an important point. Top-ups are saying 'I am a consistent performer over time, I'm not a

risk because I'm going to be in and around the team for a while in someone's view'.

"It doesn't mean you aren't incentivised, so someone plays five Tests and you get a bonus and a

kick-up, on top of your match payments.

"So no one is missing out.

"There's a couple of layers in that."

McKenzie chose Mowen to replace James Horwill as skipper 10 days ago in a shock move before the Test against England, and has stuck with him for the overnight match against Italy, but says the captaincy is a "week to week proposition".

Mowen captained Australia against England at Twickenham. Source: AFP

"I pick the team based on the circumstances, and that's been varying as we go along," McKenzie

said.

"The contract process is defined by rules and policies, that sits separate.

"Ultimately we're making decisions on the pool of players we've got available at the moment. In

six months' time we might have a completely different pool of players.

"The top-ups don't work like that, you actually earn a top-up through consistent involvement over a long period of time.

"Otherwise who would you give a top up to? We've just capped 12 guys, are they all entitled to

top-ups? You've actually got to do something to earn it.

"I recognise the leadership is a contribution, but to be honest while we put a 'C' or 'V-C' next

to someone's name, there's a bunch of guys here who are leading day-in, day-out, minute by minute.

"They're constantly involved in genuine leadership."

Mowen does not want his contractual situation to distract the team so has decided not to comment about it. But he did speak passionately about his ambitions, suggesting he sees a long future in the Wallabies' gold jersey after being unwanted by the Waratahs just two years ago.

"If you look at it in just the last two years, it's considerably quick, but when you look at my

whole path, it's been a long trudge," Mowen said of his journey.

"I'm proud of myself, this is what I set my sights on doing, and I've had a lot of hiccups and

setbacks along the way, indifferences in form, indifferences in injury, changing provinces and

states, moving families around.

"I did all that because I believed I could get here.

"And to get here is rewarding, but you don't dream of just getting the jersey or getting to this

position and that's it. You do it because you really want to see success."

Mowen has noticed a big difference in captaining the Wallabies as opposed to captaining his

franchise, the Brumbies.

"The biggest difference from provincial to this level is the emotional pressure, because you are

as invested as the supporters are in the result, and it's really disheartening when you don't get

it," Mowen said.

"It's a lost football game, yes, but it is a game Australia has lost. That's the emotional side

that doesn't sit well with you, it takes its toll.

"It is especially heightened as captain, because the coaches hand you the reigns and say 'This is

what we're after, make sure you get it out of the boys'. And when you don't help contribute to

that result it's extremely disappointing."

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