Gower Samples French Rugby Union

[Grimmace]

Gower samples delights of French rugby
By Brent Read
November 23, 2006

PENRITH halfback Craig Gower is spending part of his off-season with a French rugby union club, but Panthers officials are adamant he will fulfil the remaining three years of his lucrative contract.

Gower, due back at pre-season training on December 11, is in France essentially to find out whether he enjoys the rival code.

The latest developments in Gower's career come only months after an off-season stint with an Italian rugby union club was blocked by the Australian Rugby League.

Penrith chief executive Mick Leary and coach Matthew Elliott declined to elaborate on Gower's movements yesterday.

"He's contracted for the next three years," Elliott said.

"There won't be any change to that arrangement, not while I have any influence over it. What he chooses to do with his own time, as long as the appropriate people are notified, is his business."

NRL chief executive David Gallop confirmed he received a phone call from Gower's manager Greg Willett in which he was told the former Panthers captain would train with the French side but not play any games.

Willett said yesterday Gower was conducting business on his (Willett's) behalf in France and would do some training while away.

Penrith officials have bent over backwards to accommodate Gower in this off-season.

The former Test half accompanied Elliott and Leary on a recent fact-finding mission to the US west coast.

Gower is also set to be reinstated as Penrith captain after being stripped of the honour last season following unsatisfactory behaviour at a golf tournament in Queensland in the pre-season.



Source: Courier Mail

[Pale Ale Panther]

Go Gowie ! :guit: :guit:

[Poida]

Gower testing waters
Thursday, 23 November 2006 @ 10:27 AM
sportal.com.au
http://www.sportal.com.au/photos/news/091454news.jpg
Penrith officials have downplayed talk of Craig Gower converting to rugby union despite the star halfback spending part of his off-season with a French club.

The 28-year-old has been in Europe to train and 'see what he enjoys about the game'.

This comes after the ARL stood in the way of Gower's desire to play for an Italian club in the off-season.

Although the halfback is only training in France, his travels might be raising eyebrows at Penrith Stadium as Gower continues to flirt with the rival code.

"He's contracted to us for the next three years," coach Matthew Elliott told The Australian.

"There won't be any change to that arrangement, not while I have any influence over it. What he chooses to do with his own time, as long as the appropriate people are notified, is his business."

Gower had a tumultuous year at the club in 2006 with speculation about his contract added to his humiliating loss of the captaincy after an incident at a pre-season charity golf day.

However the club has said it will re-instate him as captain and has done everything in its power to cater to the star halfback who is contracted until 2009.

Gower is due to report to Penrith training on December 11.

[DIEHARD]

rugby union

[TITANS007]

I don't understand why they give him so much latitude and "Cater" to his every demand. He's a germ in my books!!

[Pale Ale Panther]

I don't understand why they give him so much latitude and "Cater" to his every demand. He's a germ in my books!!


for the same reason Newcastle let Johns play a few games in the UK, he wanted to try Union, so why not let him ? he will be staying at Penrith, but he had an itch and the Panthers allowed him to scratch it..........and how is he a :mad: "GERM" :mad: in your books ? a player who has been at the same club for more than 10yrs, played for NSW, played for the Kangaroos, won a GF, i'd take him over Prince ant day, yes he (Prince) has won a GF, played for Qld, but he's not good enough for any club to keep him for more than a few yrs, Cows, Bronc's, and Tigers haven't thought enough of him to want to do the types of things Penrith are willing to do to keep Craig happy, wich tells me Craig is the type of player who people want to play with, and Scott IMO dosen't have the same effect ! so i'll take the :mad: "GERM" :mad: and leave you with the "PRINCE SS" :whatd: :whatd: :whatd: :whatd: :whatd: :whatd: :whatd: :whatd: :whatd: :whatd:

[PROMETHEUS]

How many backpackers has Prince flashed,or teenage girls has he groped?
Any other player would have been sacked... :spit:

[Pale Ale Panther]

How many backpackers has Prince flashed,or teenage girls has he groped?
Any other player would have been sacked... :spit:

i don't know how many girls (or boys) the Princess has flashed or groped, you'll have to ask him. how many 20 year old boys have flashed a girl on a night out ? i'd say a fairly good %, and you tell me what an under age girl is doing with a group of men on a bucks weekend at 2am in a licenced club ? where were her parents ? if thatt is all you guys have to call someone a :mad: "GERM" :mad:
then the :mad: "GERM" :mad: population is verry high, to me a :mad: "GERM" :mad: is more hitting some bloke over the head with a chair ?? :whatd: :noidea: :noidea: :whatd:

[patrick]

i don't know how many girls (or boys) the Princess has flashed or groped, you'll have to ask him. how many 20 year old boys have flashed a girl on a night out ? i'd say a fairly good %, and you tell me what an under age girl is doing with a group of men on a bucks weekend at 2am in a licenced club ? where were her parents ? if thatt is all you guys have to call someone a :mad: "GERM" :mad:
then the :mad: "GERM" :mad: population is verry high, to me a :mad: "GERM" :mad: is more hitting some bloke over the head with a chair ?? :whatd: :noidea: :noidea: :whatd:
LOL and along those lines, I know a team which will be owned by some bloke who chucked a phone at a guy! :laugh:
Saying "Because he f****n deserved it" doesn't cut it!

Back on topic, at least Gower could be set for the future after Panthers. ;)

[TITANS007]

i don't know how many girls (or boys) the Princess has flashed or groped, you'll have to ask him. how many 20 year old boys have flashed a girl on a night out ? i'd say a fairly good %, and you tell me what an under age girl is doing with a group of men on a bucks weekend at 2am in a licenced club ? where were her parents ? if thatt is all you guys have to call someone a :mad: "GERM" :mad:
then the :mad: "GERM" :mad: population is verry high, to me a :mad: "GERM" :mad: is more hitting some bloke over the head with a chair ?? :whatd: :noidea: :noidea: :whatd:


Where did you get your facts? Because you got it totally wrong! For starters, the under age girl was with a few men, yes, those being her BOYFRIEND, brother and friends (Of similar age). Secondly, it was not a "Bucks weekend" they were at, it was a FAMILY RESORT. Thirdly, they were not in a licenced club, they were at the resort where anyone can sit. Lastly, her parents were in a room near by.

Now I reserve the right to think of Gower as a germ because he groped this innocent underage girl (Among other previous bad behaviour). His footy career highlights do not exempt him from bad behaviour.

[Pale Ale Panther]

Where did you get your facts? Because you got it totally wrong! For starters, the under age girl was with a few men, yes, those being her BOYFRIEND, brother and friends (Of similar age). Secondly, it was not a "Bucks weekend" they were at, it was a FAMILY RESORT. Thirdly, they were not in a licenced club, they were at the resort where anyone can sit. Lastly, her parents were in a room near by.

Now I reserve the right to think of Gower as a germ because he groped this innocent underage girl (Among other previous bad behaviour). His footy career highlights do not exempt him from bad behaviour.


Craig was Playing a Pro-am golf event up there and brought along mates to turn it into a bucks weekend, it was reported this happened in a Licenced club, i didn't say anything about it being where anyone can or can't sit.

i at no stage said Craig was a saint but a :mad: GERM :mad: he is not ! and i also wouldn't leave my "innocent underage" daughter in "a room near by" where alot of people were drinking. NZ is near by Australia, isn't it?

[Grimmace]

People keep this thread on topic which is about Gower playing union in France.

[jenny]

Gower back and focussed on NRL: Elliott
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
November 27, 2006 - 7:20PM


Penrith Panthers coach Matthew Elliott has dismissed claims halfback Craig Gower has been training with a French rugby side.

Gower on Monday trained with the Panthers for the first time since the NRL season's end after returning early from a trip to Europe.

Earlier this year Gower was given permission from the Panthers to play club rugby with Italian side Treviso in September and October, but the ARL blocked the move.

Last week it was reported Gower was training with a French rugby club while pursuing business interests on behalf of his manager.

The 28-year-old halfback was due to return to training with the Panthers on December 11, but coach Matthew Elliott said Gower had returned early.

"He started training today, he came back early," Elliott told AAP.

"He'd had enough."

Asked if Gower had been training with a rugby club, Elliott replied: "No he wasn't training over there, that's inaccurate."

Gower, who is contracted with the Panthers for another three seasons, "is in great shape", Elliott said.

The former Canberra coach also expressed excitement about the imminent return of forward Frank Puletua, who has been released from a contract with the Gold Coast Titans on compassionate grounds.

In a statement posted on the club's website, Panthers general manager Mick Leary said Puletua would resume training with the Panthers next month.

"It would be a real bonus for us to have him, not only for his play but he obviously has an enormous amount of respect from the players because everyone raves about him," Elliott said.

Puletua thanked the Titans for his release.

"I'm over the moon," he said in a statement.

"I'd like to thank the Titans for their understanding. They've been great."

[Social Loafer]

I wonder how Gower will cope with the one out, one out, Inside Ball, one out, MID FIELD BOMB game plan?

[patrick]

I wonder how Gower will cope with the one out, one out, Inside Ball, one out, MID FIELD BOMB game plan?
Yeah I agree! :lol!:

[Capital_Shark]

Gower keen on code switch

December 10, 2006
CRAIG Gower has come back from a 10-day training stint with a French rugby club confident he has a future in the 15-man code.

The former Penrith captain has flagged a potential switch to the rival code as Australia star Matt Rogers prepares to walk out on his $500,000 ARU contract to join the Gold Coast Titans.

Gower admitted he was a step closer to finishing his career in rugby.

"I went over to have a look at a union club. The opportunity was there so I had to go and explore it," Gower said.

"I had a good time, I spent 10 days there. I attended some training sessions and I quietly enjoyed it."

The ARU has all but given up on keeping Rogers, while Lote Tuqiri is also flirting with a return to the NRL.

Gower said his interest in joining rugby was more than just a whim. He trained with a Heineken Cup club at halfback and five-eighth during his brief stint.

"I didn't like nine too much," Gower said.

"At 10, you've got the ball in your hands and you get to play a bit of footy, which is good. Hopefully this will open some doors for me ... you can't play rugby league forever."

Gower's taste of rugby union comes only months after a seven-match stint with Italian rugby club Treviso was blocked by the Australian Rugby League. It's understood Gower still harbours a desire to represent Italy at next year's World Cup.

"I've got an Italian passport which is good because then you don't come as an import," Gower said.

"I tried to do it last year and the league wouldn't let me so I don't know what sort avenues I have to go down to to get it past ... I might have to do it earlier, I'm not too sure."


Source: foxsports.com.au

[W.I.L.T]

Gower is Penrith's best player, he needs to be there in 07 and he needs to eb the captain. Although the side did reasonably when he didn't play last year they had preston who lifted. Without Gower Penrth will definatly struggle.