Craig Gower deserves more accolades
Roar Guru By LeftArmSpinner, 21 Jun 2009 LeftArmSpinner is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Craig Gower, Italian Rugby, Rugby Union
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Craig Gower was a very good rugby league player. In the past two games for Italy, he has shown that his natural talent, first as a ball player and second as a great tackler and determined competitor.
Some commentators have been quite critical or at best, patronising in their assessment of his first game. Yes, he didn’t kick very well, but he set up a great try from nothing, made some great tackles and caught some rubbish passes from his halfbacks.
Last night, he threw some great passes and pulled off a great cover tackle on a “flatchat” Turner. First he made the effort in cover, second he had the pace to get to Turner and the courage and skill to make the tackle.
And, he is doing all this while still learning Italian!!!
We should celebrate his transition and encourage more to do it.
Finally, Craig Gower the man has matured and mellowed. His interviews are professional, perceptive and unassuming yet realistic. Well done. Keep up the good work. We can all benefit from the contribution that Gower will make to Italian rugby and hence international rugby.
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- Craig Gower, Italian Rugby, Rugby Union
June 24th 2009 @ 3:19pm
LeftArmSpinner said | June 24th 2009 @ 3:19pm | Report comment
Virgil, I agree, when he kicked it, I immediately thought, “straight out of the league play book.”
June 24th 2009 @ 4:01pm
Greg Russell said | June 24th 2009 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
LAS, congratulations on your courage in writing this very correct article.
Very correct – obvious why. Courage – it’s not fashionable amongst traditional rugby folk to admit that an ex-league player genuinely brings something to the game. I mean, Tuqiri is in his 7th season of playing rugby, and yet he still cops league bashing.
At 31, Gower is probably too old now, but over the last two weeks I think he has shown that if he were a few years younger, and if there were some way for him to get into the Wallaby set-up (can’t do that from playing in France!), then he could turn into a useful acquisition. From my knowledge of him as a league player it has always struck me that he has the attributes to be an Australian Piri Weepu.
One also should remember that he has had to function as the lynchpin of Italy’s attack without being able to speak or understand Italian, which makes his performance all the more meritorious … not to mention that he has been paired with HBs who make Luke Burgess look like John Hipwell in terms of passing.
June 24th 2009 @ 4:12pm
Spiro Zavos said | June 24th 2009 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
I agree with Leftie and all the others who have posted comments endorsing Craig Gower’s play at five-eighths for Italy. I must say I was most surprised at the line of most of the rugby writers after the first Test whether Nick Mallett would continue with him. Mallett, who is an excellent coach and a bright chap, a Rhodes Scholar who speaks a number of languages, correctly made the point that he could build a good backline around Gower. It will be interesting to see how he plays against New Zealand, Luke McAlister is a big chap and likes to run.
Gower also performed his media duties excellently.
Any more of this and we’ll all have to re-evaluate the merit of rugby union poaching rugby league stars.