Mower " Squad Management Issuef"

By Ridley Hall
August 12 2002

It now looks very much like Andrew Mower is on the way out of Kingston Park because he simply didn't fit in ... rather than any problems with his playing ability. Rob Andrew has told the Aussie turned Scot that he is free to find another club ... and the same goes for Gareth MacLure.

Hooker Christian Balshen has already left for Auckland .. and word has it that that was not the happiest of departures.

But Mower is the big surprise. Our only regular openside is obviously a quality footballer ... but some indication of the rift came when Andrew merely repeated the phrase "he only started six games last season" when asked to explain Mower's imminent departure.

He also hinted that the ratio of English players was also a factor. The Premiership clubs have agreed a ratio of 13 English players to every 22 in the squad for next season, and that will rise to 17 out of 22 next season.

Rob hinted that Mower's decision to plump for Scotland had not helped.

For this season he made it plain that he was happy with a combination of Taione, Dunbar, Devonshire and Arnold who he said had "a tremendous season last year."