Jimmy Cowan
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| Full name | Quinton James Cowan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 March 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Gore, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 92 kg (14 st 7 lb) | ||
| School | Gore High School | ||
| Notable relative(s) | Scott Cowan (brother) | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Half-back | ||
| New Zealand No. | 1046 | ||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2000 – present | Southland | 94 | (45) |
| correct as of 9 October 2010. | |||
| Super Rugby | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2003 – present | Highlanders | 89 | (40) |
| correct as of 17 June 2011. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2004 – present | All Blacks | 50 | (45) |
| correct as of 2 October, 2011. | |||
Quinton James Cowan (born 6 March 1982) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He has been an All Black since 2004 where he made his debut during the 2004 tour to the United Kingdom and France. Cowan was born in Gore and attended Gore High School. After he left school a strong season for the Mataura Rugby Club saw him selected for the Southland Stags in 2000.
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[edit] Provincial
[edit] Southland
Cowan debuted for the Stags in 2000 at the age of 18. He was quickly recognised as a standout in a weak Stags side and after a good season in 2002, he received a call-up to the Highlanders super rugby franchise. His form with the Southland side benefited from his experience at a higher level of rugby and the Stags back line continued to improve. In 2004, after a great National Provincial Championship competition, Cowan received an All Black call-up for the 2004 end of year tour after becoming the youngest Southlander to bring up 50 games for the province at the age of 22.
After missing out on the All Blacks squad to play the British and Irish Lions in 2005, he returned to the Stags where they came close to beating the Lions with only two Gavin Henson tries the difference. Once again he was a standout in the NPC resulting in a recall to the All Blacks for the end of year tour. Cowan missed much of the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup with All Blacks Tri Nations campaign before being dropped by the end of 2006. In 2007 after missing out once again on the All Blacks Cowan made a strong impression for the Stags helping them to reach the quarter final stages.
Since 2008, Cowan has played very few games due to being the All Blacks starting No. 9. He has played 93 games for Southland since his debut in 2000 and is expected to become the Stags 12th centurion in future years.
He missed out on the Stags first successful Ranfurly Shield challenge in 51 years against Canterbury where his brother Scott took his place as halfback. Cowan was still a part of the win as a water carrier.
[edit] Highlanders
After a strong 2002 NPC, Cowan was selected for the Highlanders for the 2003 Super 12 season. He was mentored by Danny Lee All Blacks Halfback Byron Kelleher, who at the end of the season departed Otago and the Highlanders to play for Waikato and the Chiefs, leaving Cowan and Ben Hurst to battle for the starting role.
Cowan started a majority of the 2004 Super 12 season and at the end of the season became an All Black. When Tony Brown left the Highlanders in 2005, Cowan became a senior figure in an inexperienced backline and was recognised for his influence in the Highlanders side and good form with the New Zealand Super 14 Player of the Year Award.[1] By the end of the season he had started to form a effective combination with Nick Evans. The combination was a positive in the Highlanders poor start to the Super 14 competition. When Evans returned to the Blues in 2008, Cowan was left once again with an starless, inexperienced backline.
Over the next three years Cowan was a feature in a poor Highlanders side becoming captain in 2009[2] but with the addition of All Black Colin Slade, New Zealand Māori player Jarrad Hoeata and strong provincial players such as Aaron Smith, Nick Crosswell and Sean Treeby, Cowans job as captain will be made much easier in 2011 as he looks to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
He has played 74 games for the Highlanders since 2003, with 26 as captain.[citation needed]
[edit] International
[edit] All Blacks
Cowan made his All Black debut age 22, versus Italy, coming on as a substitute. In his first test he performed admirably with a probing running game, accurate passing and stout defence marking his performance[citation needed]. His first game as part of the starting line-up was against the Barbarians in 2004.
He once again was selected on the 2005 End of Year Tour and came on as a substitute in three test matches against Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
Cowan was one of the 3 halfbacks being used by the All Blacks for the 2006 Tri Nations Series. He wasn't required for the 2006 end of year tour to Europe, and was not included in the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad.
After a series of drinking offences Cowan came within inches of having his NZRU contract being torn up,[3] but the Southlander chose to give up drinking and in an amazing turnaround an injury to Andy Ellis allowed him to become starting half back for the All Blacks, with Piri Weepu covering from the bench.[4]
In 2010 Cowan spearheaded the All Black recovery from a poor 2009 Tri Nations. The All Blacks won every game with Cowan playing his best after recovering from a rib injury. He also played in the 2010 Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup Test game in Hong Kong, scoring a try for the All Blacks. injury.[5][6]
He has played 43 games for the All Blacks with 41 tests.
[edit] Junior All Blacks
On 18 May 2007, Cowan missed out on selection for the All Blacks but was named in the Junior All Blacks for the Pacific Nations Cup.
[edit] Re-signing
On 17 February 2010, he announced his re-signing with the New Zealand Rugby Union until the 2012 season, during which time he will continue to play with the Highlanders and Southland.[7] He highlighted his desire to again pull on an All Black jersey and his passion for rugby in Southland as the main reasons he turned his back on lucrative overseas offers. Cowan went on to represent the All Blacks 20 times during 2008 and 2009, in the process establishing himself as the premier halfback in New Zealand rugby leading up to the 2011 World Cup.
[edit] References
- ^ [dead link] Sport and Racing – The Southland Times[dead link]
- ^ "Cowan surprise choice to lead Highlanders". Southland Times. Fairfax. 20 January 2009. http://www.rugbyheaven.co.nz/4824149a22363.html.
- ^ Irvine, Chris (1 July 2008). "Jimmy Cowan given 'All Blacks or booze' ultimatum". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/newzealand/2304562/Jimmy-Cowan-given-All-Blacks-or-booze-ultimatum.html.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ Long, David (18 August 2010). "Ben Franks, Jimmy Cowan get All Blacks nod". Stuff.co.nz. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/4033896/Ben-Franks-Jimmy-Cowan-get-All-Blacks-nod. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
- ^ Hinton, Marc (27 July 2010). "Jimmy Cowan back in All Blacks". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/jimmy-cowan-back-in-all-blacks-20100727-10tm1.html.
- ^ "Highlanders – Jimmy Cowan Recommits To New Zealand rugby". Highlanders-rugby.co.nz. 17 February 2010. http://www.highlanders-rugby.co.nz/news/jimmy-cowan-recommits-to-new-zealand-rugby/22/news.aspx. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
[edit] External links
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