Fisher in dark over Mortlock
The future of the ACT Brumbies' captaincy is set to go under the spotlight this week when injured skipper Stirling Mortlock returns to Canberra for the first time since the Wallabies lost their Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
Mortlock revealed on Sunday he was considering stepping down from the captain's role because he would be missing at least half the Super 14 season as he recovers from a shoulder reconstruction.
The outside-centre will meet coach Laurie Fisher and medical staff on Thursday to discuss his progress but it is also likely his ongoing role within the team will be addressed.
Mortlock, 30, took over from George Gregan as captain of the Brumbies in 2004 and indicated in the Sun-Herald that it might be time to pass the baton on to the new generation of players.
Fisher said he was surprised to see Mortlock's comments in the paper but understood why he was thinking of stepping aside as skipper.
"I haven't had a discussion with him yet, so I guess I was surprised to read things in a national newspaper before we've had a discussion about them," Fisher said, "That's what surprises me, but if he feels that way it's certainly more than legitimate given the amount of football he's going to miss, but I'd prefer to have had a discussion first before reading it nationally.
I certainly think that continuity of leadership is important, a short-term stand-in is fine but I think a stand-in that's potentially there for half to three-quarters of the season is not necessarily ideal."
Mortlock underwent his third shoulder reconstruction within a week of arriving back in Australia from France. The operation went well but he is still likely to be sidelined for six months and has tentatively said he would aim for an early April comeback.
Since the operation, speculation has been rife over whether he would continue as the Brumbies' captain, and if not, who would take the reins.
George Smith, who filled the captaincy role in Mortlock's absence last season and captained the Wallabies in their Wold Cup win against Canada, is widely regarded as the next Brumbies skipper.
Fisher said Smith would be a frontrunner for the role if the coaches decide to appoint a new captain but added there were a couple of other players who they would also consider.
"I don't think it's absolutely comfortably with [Smith], but I thought captaining last year was good for his game, because it made him think a little bit beyond his own preparation.
"George is somebody who does understand the game and has got some good insights but rarely offers those, so it brought him out of his shell a little bit. But he had good assistance from your [Stephen] Larkhams,your Gregans, your Jeremy Pauls and that sort of assistance won't be available through 2008."
Fisher said there were a number of factors to consider when appointing a captain. First the player had to have a reasonably secure place in the side but also had to show attributes of non-selfishness and the ability to lead by example on and off the field.
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