Kiwi wrap (Mon)
30 Jun 2008
Keo.co.za brings you the latest news from New Zealand.
Cowan’s All Blacks place in jeopardy
A second arrest within seven weeks has Jimmy Cowan fearing for his All Blacks future.
The scrumhalf was arrested in Invercargill early on Sunday and charged with disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence, reports rugbyheaven.co.nz.
He’ll face a New Zealand Rugby Union disciplinary committee on Wednesday in Wellington with the potential punishment ranging from a warning to dismissal from the squad ahead of the Tri-Nations Test against the Springboks in Wellington on Saturday.
“He’s very nervous for his future,” All Blacks manager Darren Shand said. “We are very concerned about the off-field behaviour at the weekend involving Jimmy. Clearly there is a pattern of behaviour that indicates he doesn’t make good decisions when he has been drinking.”
Cowan was also charged with disorderly conduct for an incident on May 10 and was remanded for diversion until August.
More to follow ..
11 Comments
30 Jun 2008, 09:38 am
Behemoths.
30 Jun 2008, 09:49 am
Party ouens leer nie.
30 Jun 2008, 10:00 am
Cowan reminds me of myself when i was younger. I also struggled to stay on the straight and narrow when I use to drink.
I don’t drink anymore, though, they don’t sell booze in jail!!!
30 Jun 2008, 10:46 am
Cowan is a head case, just like all scrummies, except the anal retentive. NZ have many talented 9′s but few with good character, Weepu eats too much and the list goes on.
30 Jun 2008, 11:00 am
Loose forward Chris Masoe will join the All Blacks squad for the Tri-Nations rugby test against South Africa here next Saturday.
Masoe replaces injured captain Richie McCaw for the two Tri-Nations tests against the Springboks, with the loose forward mix to be reassessed before tests against Australia next month.
“Chris’ experience against South Africa and knowledge of our systems mean he is the right choice,” All Blacks’ coach Graham Henry said today.
The team contained a number of players featuring in their first All Blacks side and bringing another youngster in at this stage probably was not the right thing to do.
Masoe, with experience in all three loose forward positions, was probably the best bet, Henry said.
“But we may want to take a different approach against Australia. We’ll look at form and fitness and the team’s plan again in a couple of weeks,” Henry said.
Who would start in the loose forwards against South Africa would be revealed when the team was named on Tuesday.
The current loose forwards mix includes Rodney So’oialo, Jerome Kaino, Sione Lauaki and Adam Thomson.
McCaw suffered a serious ankle injury during New Zealand’s 44-12 win over England in Christchurch on June 21, ruling him out of action for an expected six weeks.
Henry said Chiefs’ lock Kevin O’Neill will also join the squad as cover for Ali Williams, who is recovering from a sprained ankle.
“The medical staff is reasonably positive that Ali will be available this weekend, but it is sensible to have extra cover just in case,” Henry said.
He had spoken to Williams a couple of times during the week and the lock was “pretty upbeat”.
“I guess when we start scrummaging and really going through the physical needs of the week, how he responds to that will be pretty interesting, but I’m confident he’ll be fine,” he said.
The 2.01m and 117kg O’Neill was selected because he had shown the best Super 14 form of the locks available, Henry said.
” He was probably the best at doing the lock role, which is catching the kick-off and catching the ball at lineouts. . . . that’s why he was included in the pre-season training squad and that’s why we have brought him in to cover Ali Williams,” Henry said.
Henry also confirmed So’oialo as the All Blacks captain in McCaw’s absence.
“Rodney leads with actions more than words. He has the respect of everyone in the team and plenty of experience as captain of the Hurricanes,” Henry said.
Henry confirmed that the 11 All Blacks who turned out for their club sides yesterday had all come through without injuries.
“(Prop) John Afoa was our question mark having not played since the Irish test (on June 7) but he got through well so we pleased about that,” he said.
New Zealand’s second test against South Africa is in Dunedin on July 12.
NZPA
30 Jun 2008, 11:12 am
Seems like Cowan hangs out with Matt Henjack. What do these guys drink..metanol?
30 Jun 2008, 11:15 am
What’s with a player from the Ozmob and less often the AB’s getting arrested for drunken / disorderly behavior about once a month???? Is their dop stronger than ours?
30 Jun 2008, 13:11 pm
How come Cowan is on the carpet so soon, but Luaki will only be on the carpet in a few weeks after his drink driving arrest?
30 Jun 2008, 14:49 pm
The dop must be heavy there if they are not fighting, drink driving or abusing sheep the are blikseming their Vrou’s stukkend. When you living in the *** end of the world not much else to do I suppose.
30 Jun 2008, 16:48 pm
#9 once was warrior bru! just like ********.
1 Jul 2008, 01:20 am
#9 TheTackler is a Bok Supporter:
“When you living in the *** end of the world not much else to do I suppose”
There is alot to do here,for 10 years we have beaten SA at home and for 5 years have beaten everyone who has come to our shores so we have been busy.
By the way world is round and the latitude to cape town is practiacally the same as the tip of the north island of NZ on the world map.
You know the world map where you can view other countries on.
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