Jimmy Cowan in negotiations with Gloucester

[nickdnz]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/mar/25/gloucester-exeter-premiership?newsfeed=true

The fast revolving doors at Gloucester are set to get another spin with the club signing the All Black scrum-half Jimmy Cowan this summer. With their Scottish international No9 Rory Lawson injured but out of contract and talking to several other clubs, Gloucester are understood to be deep into negotiations with the 30-year-old who is struggling to keep his place in the starting XV for the Highlanders in Super Rugby.Cowan finished the World Cup in New Zealand as the All Blacks' third-choice scrum-half behind Piri Weepu and Andy Ellis. With the Highlanders this season he has been doing rather more warming up than playing due to the emergence of the 23-year-old New Zealand Maori Aaron Smith.
On Saturday Cowan started on the bench in Canberra with Smith scoring in the defeat by the Brumbies. The previous week the Highlanders coach, Jamie Joseph, surprised many by starting Cowan against the Hurricanes, only to replace him at half-time. However, with the likes of Mike Tindall, Luke Narraway, Alasdair Strokosch and probably Tom Voyce and Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu either leaving the club or not being offered contracts, the experience of a 51 times capped All Black is likely to be invaluable at Kingsholm next season.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/mar/25/gloucester-exeter-premiership?newsfeed=true

Have to be fairly happy about this. He's looked average for a few years now and this should give the younger guys a shot like Aaron Smith, TJ Peranara and Tawera Kerr-Barlow. Even Alby Mathewson deserved more of a crack.