By Jon Geddes

WHEN Ben Batger took over as Eastern Suburbs coach this season he delivered a strong message to his rising No.10 Jack Bowen.

“Right from the start I said he’s got to get a little bit better with his game management,” Batger revealed to Rugby News.

“Jack wants to score off every play and we just talked about picking the right moments. He’s not perfect but he has 100 per cent got better at that.”             

That sage advice paid off big time with Bowen’s improved all round performances at Easts, which have now culminated in his selection as Waratahs’ starting five-eighth for Friday’s Super Rugby game against the Brumbies at Allianz Stadium. 

“We’ve been looking for opportunities to give Jack a game during the year and now he gets his chance to start after a promising performance from the bench last week,” said Waratahs coach Darren Coleman.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS 

BATGER said Bowen definitely deserves his chance this week.

“His raw skills are undeniable and he’s getting better and better every week,” Batger said.

“He knows he’s not a perfect footballer, but the good thing about Jack is he understands that and is trying to get better in the areas he needs to improve on.

“He’s a brilliant attacker … he’s guaranteed one or two linebreaks per game and try assists.

“If he nails his core skills consistently, the sky’s the limit.”

The game also gives Bowen the chance to stake his claims at the Waratahs moving forward after what has become a train-wreck 2024 campaign.

“It is a tremendous opportunity for him,” Batger said. “He has never started a game at that level, so if he can prove himself- even if it is just one game – it is going to give him the world of confidence.”

That experience will also be a boost for Batger and Easts’ premiership aspirations, even though Bowen will miss Saturday’s clash with Sydney University at University.

“A lot of those things are short-term pain for long-term gain,” Batger said.

“You know you are going to get dividends further down the line. I think Jack will come back as a better footballer from these last couple of games.”

SON OF A GUN

BOWEN follows in the famous footsteps of his dad Scott, who was a distinguished five-eighth with the Waratahs as well as the Wallabies.

“I can’t wait for that feeling to run out onto Allianz Stadium for the Waratahs,” Bowen said.

“I’ve been going there since I was six or seven years old watching all these legends play so to get the opportunity to do that this Friday night is going to be a pretty special night for me and my family.

“I’m obviously focused on this week against the Reds, but it’s definitely a massive opportunity for me to press my claims for next year as well.”

SIX OF THE BEST

EASTS are another Shute Shield club who have paid the price for the Waratahs’ woes.

Batger has not had seen hooker Julian Heaven nor prop Lewis Ponini – who both had been uncontracted at NSW at the start of the season – for any games as they were called up by the Super franchise.

And for the past two weeks the Waratahs’ injury-crisis also meant they called up the next Easts hooker in line, Moli Sooaemalelagi.

Batger said if anyone was crying poor about frontrowers being taken, it was him. 

Easts have six players in the NSW squad to face the Brumbies – Bowen, Ponini, Miles Amatosero, Harry Wilson, Fergus Lee-Warner and wholehearted backrower Charlie Gamble.

On face value, that sounds like a lot of star power returning to Easts for the run to the finals.

But Batger has been around long enough to have more realistic expectations.

“What I have found is that in never happens this way – there are always injuries, then there is an Australia A tour or someone picks up a contract overseas,” Batger said.

“We are hopeful we’ll get few, but you never get as many as you expect.”

THE BEAST IS AWAKENING 

IT was always going to take time, but it appears Easts are starting to find their mojo under new coach Batger with wins in their last two games over Norths (37-24) and the Wildfires (41-28).

“I think we are starting to discover our style,” Batger said. “I’ve changed quite a few things and there are different coaches in attack, defence, set piece.

“I think we are getting there slowly and you would expect that after eight rounds.”

Batger said there were always going to be ups and downs with new players, new coaches and new systems.

“The boys are adapting and listening to the messaging which is good,” Batger said. “We are getting better every week which was always the goal.”