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Western Force legend 'gutted' to miss axed club's Super Rugby return

By AAP
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Western Force legend Pek Cowan says he’s gutted he can’t be present for the franchise’s Super Rugby rebirth this Saturday, and he’s not sure whether he will be ready to play next week either.

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Cowan’s delay in being able to leave Japan means he will be in quarantine in Sydney until mid next week, forcing him to miss Saturday’s clash with the Waratahs at the SCG.

The 34-year-old’s experience and toughness will be a vital asset to a youth-laden Force outfit.

But Cowan is also acutely aware it will take him time to get up to speed with the squad, meaning he could opt out of next week’s encounter with the Queensland Reds as well.

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“If I can’t do the jumper justice, I’m not going to put myself out there,” Cowan said.

“There’s guys who have been here for the last few years, and I think I would be doing the jumper an injustice if I wasn’t completely across how we want to play, what every call is.

“I’m only here to play consistently well for the Force, and I’d hate to go one week early just to try and play and not play well and not perform.

“I’m gutted that I can’t be there with the team this Saturday to offer support, but I wasn’t able to get out of Japan fast enough.”

Cowan was just 18 years old when he joined the Force’s foundation squad in 2006.

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The 10-Test Wallaby notched 130 appearance in the blue and black before leaving the franchise in 2017 when they were axed from Super Rugby.

Cowan declared at the time that he would never play for a rival Australian franchise, and he struck true to his word by moving to Japan to continue his career.

The veteran prop jumped at the chance to rejoin the Force for the upcoming Super Rugby AU competition after receiving special permission from his Japanese club Shimizu Blue Sharks.

“As soon as I heard that the team would be put into this new Super Rugby competition I got really excited,” Cowan said.

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“Not for me personally thinking I’d get an opportunity to play in it, but more for the team being able to represent Perth and having a national rugby competition to play in.

“I was approached by another Super Rugby franchise before I left the Force in 2017, but I was pretty adamant that I wouldn’t play for another Australian team.”

Cowan doesn’t think he will have access to the Force’s game against the Waratahs on his TV while in quarantine, but he will watch the clash online to make sure he doesn’t miss a minute of the action.

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A
Adrian 9 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
T
Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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