Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie rubbishes talk Ben Mowen dobbed in teammates in Dublin

EWEN McKenzie has moved to emphatically quash the notion that Ben Mowen dobbed in teammates over the drinking session in Dublin.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 22: Ben Mowen of the Brumbies looks on during the round tw

WALLABIES coach Ewen McKenzie has moved to emphatically quash the notion that Ben Mowen dobbed in teammates over the drinking session in Dublin.

Since the 15 Wallabies players were reprimanded for drinking and breaking curfew in Ireland during last November’s tour, reports and rumours have been rife that McKenzie was alerted by Mowen.

“No player dobbed in any other play in Dublin or anywhere else, I can’t make it any more clear than that,” McKenzie told the Daily Telegraph.

Players have privately expressed anger over the handling of the affair and Mowen’s perceived role.

If there are any lingering tension between Waratahs and Brumbies players it will be evident during their grudge match on Saturday at Canberra Stadium.

When asked directly about this on Monday, Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis played down talk of revenge but hardly dismissed suggestions that his players harboured ill feelings.

“A lot of that stuff was out of our hands really so it’s hard to blame anyone for it, it’s happened and you move on,” Dennis said.

“There were guys there who were disappointed with how things went, but that’s three or four months ago now.”

The Dublin drinking fiasco was one of the most extraordinary incidents in Wallabies history, with an unprecedented 15 players punished for consuming alcohol and/or breaking curfew days before the Test against Ireland.

Wallabies management and some players denied at the time that players had been “dobbed in” by teammates for staying out, but since the team returned to Australia quite a different story has emerged.

Angry players believe they were punished unfairly because some team members seemed to be aware of a midnight curfew while others didn’t, and there have been private claims of backstabbing.

Reports emerged that Mowen and Brumbies teammate Stephen Moore would be players of focus for the Tahs this Saturday at Canberra Stadium.

The Brumbies said Mowen did not wish to comment.

All of the Waratahs players who were reprimanded over the Dublin incident; Dennis, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Benn Robinson, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Paddy Ryan, Kane Douglas, Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps, are expected to be selected for Saturday’s grudge match.

Dennis said his side had enough motivation – trying to top the Australian conference – without having to rely on the Dublin drama.

“All that stuff is in the past, every time you look at an Australian team you want to get the wood over them, we want to win our conference that is first and foremost,” Dennis said.

“We talked about finishing first or second and the best way to do that is by winning your conference. We know the importance of these local derbies.

Benn Robinson was one of the players involved in Dublin.

“We’re really happy with the way we’ve started, since we’ve got back here all the guys have worked really hard and had a good drive to try to play some good rugby.

“We’re going down there very much with the mindset of NSW beating ACT, there’s nothing more to it.”

Dennis said his side would not shy away from physical confrontation.

“There’s always going to be a bit of feeling isn’t there, we want to play our type of game and be nice and physical, so if there’s an opportunity to whack one of the Brumbies boys we’ll try to do it,” Dennis said.

“That’s how we want to play as a team, that’s our style.

“There is never any love lost, I think against the Reds you saw a bit of feeling too in the way the boys played and the way the forwards played, nice and physical, plenty of shots on.

“We went down there last year and got belted around as a forward pack, we don’t want that to happen again, if that means getting stuck into some of our national teammates then so be it.”

Dennis added that many of his teammates would be out to dislodge incumbent Wallabies players from the Brumbies team.

“There’s a strong rivalry, a lot of those guys are in the national team and there are a lot of NSW boys who were in the squad and on the bench or missed out, who want to be of that team,” Dennis said.

“It’s a good rivalry for Australian rugby, it shows that blokes care.

“At this stage of the season it’s very much our beliefs and how we want to play as a team rather than what they’re trying to do.”