GRAHAM Henry has left controversial scrum half Jimmy Cowan out of his opening Tri Nations squad to face South Africa on Saturday.
As the team was being announced, Cowan was fronting a New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) misconduct hearing at the NZRU headquarters in Wellington after he was arrested and charged with disorderly in Invercargill in the early hours of Sunday morning. It was the second such incident involving Cowan in a matter of weeks.
Coach Graham Henry said the selection of a reserve scrum-half would be decided once the outcome of the hearing.
“It’s disappointing, annoying and disruptive but as you can appreciate we’ve just got to focus and get on with our preparations for the Test match,” said Henry.
As expected Adam Thomson, newly-appointed captain Rodney So’oialo and Jerome Kaino get the nod in the loose forwards in the absence of Richie McCaw, while Conrad Smith returns at centre despite Richard Kahui’s impressive debut against England, and Mils Muliaina replaces Leon MacDonald at fullback.
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Henry axes Jimmy Cowan from Tri Nations squad
Henry axes Jimmy Cowan from Tri Nations squad
