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Bret Harris | September 15, 2009
HE has never played the position in professional rugby, but rookie loosehead prop Pek Cowan will be the Wallabies' reserve hooker for the Test against the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday if Tatafu Polota-Nau is ruled out with a rib injury.
Australia coach Robbie Deans revealed yesterday the twice-capped Cowan was on standby as the back-up hooker.
There are only two specialist hookers in the 30-man Tri Nations squad: Polota-Nau and Stephen Moore.
The other options were former Australia hookers Adam Freier and Sean Hardman, Brumbies number two Huia Edmonds and Australia under-20s captain Damien Fitzpatrick.
But Cowan has been training to play in all three positions in the frontrow since his call-up to the Wallabies squad in July.
"The reality is that Pek would cover it," Deans said. "We have been doing a lot of work with him, scrummaging and throwing.
"The motivation behind that is versatility is good. It doesn't pertain just to him. Across the board we are constantly looking outside the square at ways we can maximise our versatility.
"Being an ex-professional golfer, he has good eye-hand (co-ordination). He's got an ability to throw the ball and he has taken to it like a duck to water.
"It's an easier transition to make, going from prop to hooker, than the other way. The scrummaging side of it, props take to hooker pretty easily compared to hookers to prop."
With Polota-Nau and winger Lachie Turner (rib) likely to be passed fit today, Cowan will have to wait for another opportunity to pack down at hooker but he is a long-term project.
If he can master all three frontrow positions, Cowan will be Australia's answer to Springboks' captain John Smit.
"It was put to me pretty much as soon as I made the squad that I would have to be able to cover more than just one position," Cowan said.
"That was one of the reasons they put me in the squad because I can cover loosehead and I'm still quite young and willing to learn.
"I'm not saying I can cover all three right now, but it's something we have been working on."
Cowan said that tighthead prop was the hardest position to play in the frontrow.
"Tighthead is in high demand because it's a tough position to play," Cowan said.
"It's basically a two-on-one for the whole game. The tighthead is packing on two guys, which is why it is very, very hard. It takes a toll on your body.
"Loosehead has a little more free rein. You can miss the hit and sacrifice that, but still be included in the scrum.
"Hooker is a little bit different altogether. It's probably physically a little bit less demanding than both loosehead and tighthead, but technically you need to know what you are doing with both shoulders.
"It's basically trying to find a balance between giving the loosehead enough and giving the tighthead enough as well as looking after yourself.
"As long as I feel comfortable in the scrum, I think it puts you a long way towards getting that confidence to play."
Cowan described his lineout throwing as "on and off".
"It's one of those skills that you need to fine-tune," Cowan said. "Thankfully, I can throw. It doesn't come naturally because it's not the most natural of actions. But I can throw, which is a positive.
"For someone who hasn't been throwing all that long I'm fairly confident of hitting most of the targets."
Cowan made his Test debut against Italy in Melbourne in June and came off the bench towards the end of the Wallabies' 21-6 win against the Springboks in Brisbane two weeks ago.
But the highlight of his brief Test career would be playing against the All Blacks in his birthplace, Wellington, on Saturday.
"I've been getting a few texts from family and friends," Cowan said. "My mum and half-brother and half-sister still live there. Most of my dad's family are still there. They support me, which is great.
"I'll definitely be excited if I do get the opportunity to go over. To play New Zealand in Wellington where I was born is a bit mind-boggling at the moment."
Former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga was a family friend and the young Cowan played touch football with him in the backyard.
"There was an affiliation with Tana, believe it or not," Cowan said. "We used to get looked after by Tana's sister.
"A few times he popped over. He is a really nice guy. As a young kid growing up in New Zealand, Tana was a pretty big figure. To meet him on a regular basis and play touch with him was fantastic."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
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IS Pek the Force's Hooker for 2010?
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Originally Posted by Tazzmania
