Rat pack prop Pek stares down World Cup

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RUGBY UNION
11 JUL 11 @ 03:36PM BY JON GEDDES RUGBY LEAGUE


HE may have missed selection in the Wallabies 40-man training squad but Warringah prop Pek Cowan still has a burning desire to play in the Rugby World Cup.

The Western Force forward sent out a clear message: he is still a contender by leading the Rat pack in their demolition of Gordon at Narrabeen on Saturday.

In his first game, eight weeks after fracturing his cheekbone playing for the Force against the Brumbies, Cowan and fellow frontrowers Salesi Manu and Luke Holmes created the platform for Warringah to record its third win of the season.

Besides his strong scrummaging, Cowan also made his presence felt in the forward exchanges around the ruck.

“We got a few boys back in the forward pack so we had to lead from the front and get quality ball to the back and it paid dividends in the second half,” Cowan said.

“Everyone has told me there were problems down here at Warringah but to be honest I didn’t see anything wrong. I really enjoyed that, it was fantastic.”

While the Force had a tough Super Rugby season, the product of Narrabeen Sports High had been in good form until he was sidelined for an extended period by his untimely injury.

That was a setback in his goal of adding to the four Wallaby Test caps he already has and gave rivals extra games to push their selection claims.

“The good thing is that there is always another game around the corner,” Cowan said.

“I love Warringah. It was burning me a bit hearing the results and not being able to get back here.

“It was great to be able to give a bit to the club and get a win.”

Despite being sidelined for two months Cowan played for 77 minutes before getting a well-deserved break.

“It was tough on the lungs and the legs. I got a bit excited there in the first half so I was a bit tired coming towards the end,” he said.

Cowan is still on the radar of Wallabies coach Robbie Deans after taking part in the scrum sessions involving Australia’s top forward contenders over the past fortnight.

“And that helped me back into the groove of things,” he said.

And he intends to use his upcoming games with the Rats to further push his World Cup credentials.

Warringah coach Sam Harris had a well-deserved smile after the win which got his side off the bottom of the table.

And he recognised the contribution Cowan made in allowing the likes of fullback Hamish Angus (three tries) and centre Dylan Smouha (two tries) to unleash their attacking skills in the backline.

“We’ve always had the weapons to put points on teams but haven’t afforded ourselves the platform to launch off,” Harris said

“We’ve had young guys doing a job in the frontrow but they are learning their trade and it takes time,” he said.

“I knew I wanted Pek back for his scrummaging but after playing with him last year I forgot how many big shots he puts on and how much work he does in defence and how many repeat efforts he does.

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au...own-world-cup/

“It’s just infectious and I think it transferred through to the whole team.”

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Cowan fights back to be Wallabies back-up
Greg Growden
July 16, 2011

Impressive comeback ... Pek Cowan has faught his way back into the Wallabies squad after a horiffic head clash in May. Photo: Getty Images
PEK COWAN has won the battle for the back-up prop spot on the Wallabies bench tomorrow - an extraordinary achievement considering that his face was a complete mess less than two months ago.

Cowan was involved in a hideous head clash when playing for the Western Force against the Brumbies in Perth in May, which broke his cheekbone in three places. However, after just one club game with Warringah last weekend where he excelled against Gordon, and several appearances at the Wallabies scrum camp in Sydney, Cowan has been recalled to the 22-man squad, as back-up to Ben Alexander and Sekope Kepu.

The pain has long subsided, but Cowan went through incredible agony after suffering the injury. ''I didn't get any pain relief until I got to the hospital, and they initially thought it was my nose which was broken, because there was so much blood. After the scans, they said, 'Don't worry about blocking the blood because it's all coming from the three fractures in your face,''' Cowan said yesterday.

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''At the hospital, they had to cut through my mouth and pull the pieces out. There's three plates in there; so they've made sure they've got it right.''

No wonder when he arrived at scrum camp a few weeks ago he was a bit nervous. ''I was unsure how my face would actually hold up under the pressure, because I was told not to really push it because the plates could shift,'' Cowan said. ''That would mean my face not looking all that good again. But I got through it.''

Cowan's eating was limited for some time, but has maintained his own weight. Starting tight-head prop Alexander has put on 7.5 kilograms to now be 121kg in preparation to be the team's anchor.

''I enjoy both sides,'' Alexander said. ''But I do enjoy the scrummaging of tighthead more. I feel it is a lot more self-rewarding, and it is harder.''



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz1SBnmeCTD

[travelling_gerry]

Nick Taylor, The West Australian
July 16, 2011, 11:08 am tweet0EmailPrint
When Western Force prop Pek Cowan's phone rang on Tuesday night, he didn't recognise the number and let it ring out.

When a message to call the same number came through soon after, wife Megan suggested he check it out.

Fortunately he took her advice. It was Wallabies manager Rob Egerton wanting Cowan to pack his bags and head to the Australian training camp.

Two days later, he was named in the squad for tomorrow's season-opening Test against Samoa.

Cowan, who missed out on initial selection in the 40-man squad for the Sydney Test and the Tri-Nations series was called in after NSW front-rower Benn Robinson was injured and ruled out for the season.

He is determined to make the most of the opportunity.

"I've been going through a rollercoaster of emotions the last couple of days," he said. "Initially I was disappointed at missing out on selection, then there was excitement at getting a call and now I'm shocked and feeling very humble to have been told I'm in the match squad."

Cowan, 25, played his first game in eight weeks last Saturday for Warringah in the Sydney Shute Shield after breaking his cheekbone playing for the Force.

"My main goal after the injury was to keep in tip-top condition," he said. "I feel I've done that. Physically I feel great and the mental aspect of what has happened is coming.

"I just want to make sure I take my opportunity. I'm living in the moment because nothing is a given and I want to enjoy it while I can.

"I want to make sure this is not a one-off thing. I'm here now and 100 per cent committed."

Cowan's international career took a slight stumble when the specialist loosehead was asked to move into the hooking role by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans in 2009. He wore the No.2 jumper for the first three rounds of the 2010 Super competition when the Force's hooking stocks were depleted, losing form and missing out on national selection.

"Hopefully that idea is done and dusted. Now I'm covering loosehead and I can focus on that role," Cowan said.

Cowan will make his fifth Wallabies appearance with Force teammates Nathan Sharpe, Ben McCalman and Matt Hodgson and the departed James O'Connor against Samoa.

Hodgson will make his starting debut. His previous four appearances have come from the bench.

Samoa will go into the game with a near full-strength side of overseas-based players against Australia.

Highlanders hooker Mahonri Schwalger leads a team that includes five players from New Zealand and England, two each from France and Japan, and one from Wales. Eleven of the team's players have Super Rugby experience. Did you know? 4 The number of games Western Force prop Pek Cowan has played for the Wallabies


http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...abies-line-up/