They both hail from Queensland and each dabbled in rugby league, but new Wallabies leaders Rocky Elsom and Berrick Barnes are cut from very different types of cloth.
Flanker Elsom was last week appointed captain of the Wallabies for their upcoming Spring Tour, with inside back Barnes chosen as his deputy.
Elsom is neither taciturn nor rude when fielding journalist questions, but the laconic forward will never use 30 words if ten will suffice.
Conversely, Barnes is more of an amiable chatterbox.
Elsom, 26, was educated at Brisbane’s Nudgee College from where he represented the Australian Schoolboys before signing a two-year contract with the Bulldogs in the NRL before returning to rugby for the 2003 season.
He spent six seasons with NSW before heading to Ireland for a successful stint with Leinster, who won European Rugby’s biggest prize the Heineken Cup.
While Elsom has now opted to play with the Brumbies, Barnes has moved from the Reds to the Waratahs.
After one year with the Brisbane Broncos where he played nine first grade games, the former Ipswich Grammar student switched to rugby and has become an increasingly influential playmaker in the Queensland and Australian teams.
“We are both from a similar schoolboy system in Queensland, we both came over to the dark side (NSW) down here,” Barnes told AAP.
“There’s some similarities, obviously, but we are two pretty different people as well, so, hopefully, we can combine our personalities.
“I won’t even try and change who I am or do any more talking than I usually do, I’d sound stupid otherwise.”
At 23, Barnes is emerging as a senior figure in an increasingly youthful Wallabies back line.
Just a couple of years after breaking in to the Wallabies squad, Barnes will now be responsible for shepherding a smattering of emerging young backs including three uncapped 20-year-olds Rob Horne, Kurtley Beale and Richard Kingi plus teenager James O’Connor and 21-year-old halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper.
“It’s scary, I’ll start thinking I’m a bit older,” Barnes joked.
“Two years ago, I was 21 and I was the youngest by a couple of years, so things have changed a lot.
“James O’Connor coming in at 18 was an amazing achievement. Quade (Cooper) has grown massively in the last six months, on and off the field and it’s a credit to him and there’s a number of young guys getting another opportunity.”
For his part, Elsom was under no illusion about the challenge awaiting his squad who will play New Zealand in Tokyo before embarking on the first Australian Grand Slam tour of the United Kingdom in 25 years.
funmaster
Guest
I surely admire your jolly sarcasm sportym. And your knowledge of our strange and wonderful world. Maybe i should have corrected myself and instead of saying "baghdad". I should have said, " it quiet frankly is an equivelant of a white christmas in pretoria" cant see you finding any proof of snow in the veldt. Or any wallaby team being great in the near future for that matter.
sportym
Guest
Well thank god for that, the future is looking much brighter!!!!! If you had said a white xmas in Sydney I would be down. http://thegate.nationaljournal.com/2008/01/christmas_in_baghdad_1.php Are you a little confused in which hemisphere Iraq is in? or where Iraq actually is? Well news flash, they actually have their winter during xmas.
Eiger
Guest
Terry, This looks to be confirmed in Rugbyheaven today with Mortlock saying he was aware that he was being replaced, just not who that person would be. My point on the Barnes article was that he was in full agenda pushing mode, which looked to be anti-Deans, and very pro the "old guard". Deans looks like he has ruffled a few feathers, which I dont think is a bad thing - puts some people on notice that they arent guaranteed anything unless they play their bollocks off each and every time they strap oin the canary yellow.
funmaster
Guest
And here i thought gits is gonna get the captaincy nod next. Guys! (uhm...australian people) getting rid of old farts in the team isnt gonna help the wallaby-woefull problem. Well there is two things you could try....first you could try and buy players from other countries again. (Lote and Rathbone wasnt that bad right). Or you could stay with the current crop of clowns you have, namely barnes, o'conner, cooper, elsom, AAC, david-newsletterman-pocock, burgess, uncle george, the gitsenator, ext ext...and wait for about ten years for another great wallaby "GOLDEN AGE". Which quiet frankly is now an equivelant of a white christmas in baghdad.
Armchair-critic
Roar Pro
After watching the press conference from Coogee today I think the story in The Australian has been seriously exaggerated. From what i can see this whole situation may have actually added a positive edge to the side which has been lacking
Terry Kidd
Guest
Guys, lets get this entirely straight. The Barnes story in The Australian also quotes Mortlock as saying that he and Deans had spoken at length about many things, including the captaincy, and that Mortlock knew what was in Deans' mind. Mortlock then goes to the movies on the day the squad is announced. Does that not say it all? Yes, there may not have been a phone call on the day to say that "Stirling, you won't be captain" but it also appears that Mortlock was very aware that he would not be captain. We don't know everything, but what the facts point to is the the guard was changing and Mortlock knew all about it.
MM Fike
Guest
It is starting to look like the whole Wallaby operation is going pear shaped. There is a a lot of negativity and team politics surfacing via opinion pieces in the mainstream press. This is not the way to start a very demanding tour where some test wins are sorely needed. Is Ewen McKenzie on standby? Or who is likely to be the next Wallaby coach? An unhappy or unsettled team does not win test matches. Has this been the underlying problem all season?
Hansie
Guest
Deans action in not informing Mortlock is pretty slack and suggests a lack of management skills. Still, Mortlock didn't have to air the issue in public.
Sportym
Guest
According to the Australian morlock was with his family at the movies when the announcement was made. He is quoted as saying that Deans did not inform him, but being allowed to go to the movies and not be at the announcement made it quite clear that he had lost his captaincy. Barnes and Elsom would have been told ahead of the announcement as they were present at it. I have no issues in Mortlock being replaced but at least do it right. Mortlock probably knew for a while that he was on the outer, and good on him for going over to Japan to find out what he is worth. If deans could not even tell mortlock that he was no longer captain, the relationship between the two must be quite bad, i would not be surprised to see him head overseas sooner then later. Now if Gits spits the dummy and also goes I am sure we can get AAC to cover 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 if needed :) Heck as he is able to throw the ball straight so he can get a look in at 2 and 9. I would be really interested which players are no longer in deans circle of trust.
Old Pig
Guest
Perhaps Mortlock knows more than he is letting on & hence the trip to Japan. It is not unreasonable to expect all positions to be put on the table and up for grabs including the leadership roles. I would suspect Deans knew who he wanted a long time ago and most players, if tuned in would have know this or at least suspected it. I'm not really interested in who he has selcted but how well they work together and communicate. They need to lead thru their actions, something that has been missing for a while know. All I can say to these guys is go and give it the very best you can and have a great time, win or lose. Just play great rugby for rugby's sake.
Armchair-critic
Roar Pro
Perhaps he was in Japan scouting his options at the time?? Jokes a side, i think that is very poor of Mortlock to be checking out possible clubs when he was still the incumbent captain
Sportym
Guest
Completely agree. If my boss was going to replace me I would expect him to tell me first before announcing it to everyone in the office. I would not expect Deans to be so gutless as to not inform mortlock beforehand.
Knives Out
Guest
Mmm... not informing the previous captain that he was to be removed from the position strikes me as utterly horrific management - if it's true, that is.
Eiger
Guest
Interesting to see Wayne Barnes over at The Australian banging on about how Mortlock was "gracelessly" dropped from the captaincy, without benefit of getting a phone call from Deans first. Maybe he was entitled to get a heads up that Elsom was going to be announced, but the article seems to be a bit self serving in the "poor Mortlock" tone it takes. Personally, dont really have a problem with Deans exercising his prerogative, seems a calculated move to deflate some ego's.
Lindommer
Guest
"They both hail from Queensland". Mmmm? Rocky was born in Melbourne and has played his senior football for the Bulldogs, Randwick, the Tahs, Australia and Leinster. Not too much Queensland there. I fail to see how "hailing from Queensland" is an asset for an Australian captain considering the Reds' woeful performances the last six years.