Former All Black Jimmy Cowan adds star power to Asia-Pacific Dragons at HKFC Tens

Former All Blacks Jimmy Cowan, Carl Hayman and Isaac Ross will star for the BGC Asia-Pacific Dragons (APDs) at next week’s GFI HKFC Tens as the side bid for a third successive Cup title and a fourth overall.

Cowan is looking forward to his return to Hong Kong, where he played for New Zealand against Australia in the 2008 and 2010 Bledisloe Cups, scoring a try in the latter.

The 34-year-old scrum-half will make his HKFC Tens debut just two months after representing the APDs against Australian Super Rugby side Western Force in a 15-a-side pre-season match in Perth, where Ross was among his teammates.

“It’s great to be playing at the 10s for the first time. This is a big year for us, as we played Western Force in February and in June we play the World Club 10s in Mauritius,” said Cowan, who was part of New Zealand’s World Cup-winning team in 2011.

“Isaac also played against the Force and I played with Carl in the All Blacks, so it will be great to team up with them in Hong Kong, as everyone’s vying for spots to be on the plane to Mauritius.

“Obviously there’s the added pressure at Hong Kong Football Club as we are defending champions, but we’re looking forward to the challenge and it looks like we’ve got a good squad.

“I played in the Bledisloe Cup in Hong Kong twice and scored a try in the second match, so hopefully I can contribute again this time. I’m looking forward to going back.”