All Black arrested for disorderly conduct
Mon, 12 May 2008 11:40
Highlanders scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan was arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning after his team's loss the Blues in Dunedin.
The 26-year-old All Black will appear in court later this week on a charge of disorderly conduct.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry reacted with dismay to the news of the No.9's arrest.
Cowan is in the running to wear the All Black No.9 jersey and coach Graham Henry is not happy. He says it is very disappointing and "rugby doesn't need that sort of thing".
The unsavoury incident involving Cowan was confirmed by Highlanders chief executive Richard Reid who told Newstalk ZB he was dismayed by the situation.
"There is a part of it which is personal responsibility and just simple professionalism, and issues like this sort of fall outside that unfortunately," Reid told the radio station.
"He goes through the courts, if it goes that far, then it becomes an employment matter between the employer and the employee. That would be the same if it was you or me," added Reid.
The incident comes just a few weeks after his Highlanders teammate Lucky Mulipola was convicted of assault and driving while disqualified.
Earlier in the season, another Australasian player, Former Western Force No.9 Matt Giteau, had his contract torn up after he assaulted his teammate Haig Sare in a drunken nightclub brawl.
