Bob McCowan
Encyclopedia
Robert Herman "Bob" McCowan (28 February 1875 – 29 April 1941) was a pioneer Australia
n rugby union
player, a state
and national representative fullback who played in his country's first Test series of 1899, captaining the national side on one occasion.
, Scotland. He captained the rugby side at Brisbane Grammar School
and after school played at the Past Grammars
club.
He ran a successful law practice after his football career but in 1929 he got into some betting trouble with an unsuccessful plunge on Phar Lap
in the 1929 Melbourne Cup
. He was sentenced for fourteen years for misappropriating 15,000 from a trust fund. He later worked as a bar-room cleaner.
He is buried in northern New South Wales at Byangum Road Cemetery in Murwillumbah in an unmarked grave.
McGowan was first selected in a Queensland
representative side in 1893 and made 24 appearances for his state up till 1900. He captained the Queensland side in their tour match against Matthew Mullineux
's first British Lions to tour Australia
in 1899 to a surprise 11-3 victory. He captained Queensland on six other occasions and made appearances against touring New Zealand sides
in 1893, 1896 and 1897. New Zealand dual-international George Smith
came up against McGowan on the latter of these tours and was reported in The Cynic to have said "If it had not been for McGowan's fine play we would have put up much bigger scores than we did. He is the best fullback we have seen over here - kicks with either foot and is a very sure tackler - I know it".
His national representative debut came in the first Test match of that Lions 1899 tour when he was selected at fullback - this was Australian rugby union's inaugural Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground
on 24 June 1899 and the host team prevailed 13-3. Due to funding constraints he was one of only six New South Wales
players (Charlie Ellis
, Hyram Marks
, Lonnie Spragg
, Peter Ward
& Robert Challoner
) selected to make the trip to Brisbane four weeks later for the second Test. His performance in that match was noted as excellent by the press. With the incumbent skipper Frank Row
left out of the team, McCowan was selected by his teammates to lead the side in the second Test match at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground
. He again played at fullback in that game and then for the third Test in Sydney in August 1899 he was selected on the wing. He made no further national appearances in his career.
Zavos describes McCowan as the "finest fullback produced by Queensland" to that point and quotes contemporary commentators "stocky and dynamic, fast, very clever in handling, kicking and passing the ball and tackles well"
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, a state
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
and national representative fullback who played in his country's first Test series of 1899, captaining the national side on one occasion.
Personal life
McCowan was born in RenfrewshireRenfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, Scotland. He captained the rugby side at Brisbane Grammar School
Brisbane Grammar School
Brisbane Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for boys, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
and after school played at the Past Grammars
Norths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Queensland Wizard Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in...
club.
He ran a successful law practice after his football career but in 1929 he got into some betting trouble with an unsuccessful plunge on Phar Lap
Phar Lap
Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...
in the 1929 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
. He was sentenced for fourteen years for misappropriating 15,000 from a trust fund. He later worked as a bar-room cleaner.
He is buried in northern New South Wales at Byangum Road Cemetery in Murwillumbah in an unmarked grave.
Representative career
Howell quotes sportswriter Jack Davis who described McCowan as "short, remarkably quick and good in any era....fast, clever in handling, kicking and passing the ball and tackles well...he possessed in high degree the essentials of a crack three-quarter".McGowan was first selected in a Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
representative side in 1893 and made 24 appearances for his state up till 1900. He captained the Queensland side in their tour match against Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
's first British Lions to tour Australia
1899 British Lions tour to Australia
The 1899 British Isles tour to Australia was the fourth rugby union tour by a British Isles team and the second to Australia; though the first tour in 1888 was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia...
in 1899 to a surprise 11-3 victory. He captained Queensland on six other occasions and made appearances against touring New Zealand sides
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in 1893, 1896 and 1897. New Zealand dual-international George Smith
George William Smith (New Zealand)
George William Smith was a New Zealand sportsman who excelled at track and field as well as both codes of rugby football.-Jockey:George was an extremely successful jockey and won the 1894 New Zealand Cup, riding Impulse...
came up against McGowan on the latter of these tours and was reported in The Cynic to have said "If it had not been for McGowan's fine play we would have put up much bigger scores than we did. He is the best fullback we have seen over here - kicks with either foot and is a very sure tackler - I know it".
His national representative debut came in the first Test match of that Lions 1899 tour when he was selected at fullback - this was Australian rugby union's inaugural Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
on 24 June 1899 and the host team prevailed 13-3. Due to funding constraints he was one of only six New South Wales
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
players (Charlie Ellis
Charlie Ellis
Charles L. Seymour "Charlie" Ellis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ellis, a lock and flanker, was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Hyram Marks
Hyram Marks
Hyram A. Marks was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Marks, a lock, was born in Sydney, NSW and attended Sydney Grammar School and Sydney University. He claimed two international rugby caps for Australia and was the University rugby club's first Wallaby representative...
, Lonnie Spragg
Lonnie Spragg
Alonzo Stephen "Lonnie" Spragg was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Spragg, a centre, was born in Redfern, New South Wales and claimed four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Peter Ward
Peter Ward (rugby)
Peter M. Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.A fly-half, he was born in Invercargill and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia. His Test debut was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
& Robert Challoner
Robert Challoner
Robert Louis Challoner was a rugby union player who represented for Australia.Challoner, a number 8, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and claimed a total of 1 international rugby caps for Australia...
) selected to make the trip to Brisbane four weeks later for the second Test. His performance in that match was noted as excellent by the press. With the incumbent skipper Frank Row
Frank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
left out of the team, McCowan was selected by his teammates to lead the side in the second Test match at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground
Brisbane Exhibition Ground
The Brisbane Exhibition Ground , is a showground established in Brisbane during 1875 especially for Ekka . The Exhibition ground is owned and operated by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland...
. He again played at fullback in that game and then for the third Test in Sydney in August 1899 he was selected on the wing. He made no further national appearances in his career.
Zavos describes McCowan as the "finest fullback produced by Queensland" to that point and quotes contemporary commentators "stocky and dynamic, fast, very clever in handling, kicking and passing the ball and tackles well"