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Cowan to step up

Jimmy Cowan is feeling the heat of Piri Weepu's hot form.

Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Sportal.co.nz

Jimmy Cowan is feeling the heat of Piri Weepu's hot form.

The two All Black's halfbacks epitomise the depth and competition within the 26-man Tri Nations squad.

Weepu was sublime in his home town of Wellington when New Zealand recorded successive victories over the World Champion Springboks two weeks ago.

Pending fatherhood meant he missed 60 percent of training this week in the build up to the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Melbourne on Saturday. Nobody could blame Weepu if his focus was slightly elsewhere, so Cowan was granted a reprieve.

"There's areas of my game I have to strengthen up to stay in this team," Cowan said.

"He [Weepu] played well in the Wellington Test, so it was a tough tussle. I managed to get the start this week, so it's on me to perform."

The three wise men have likened Weepu's finishing ability, but the previously chunky No.9 has slimmed down and his fitness has seen him regain an attacking spark, which saw the drums beating for a starting berth.

Cowan came under fire after the first Test at Eden Park where he was slow to rucks his delivery was laboured. He sat on the bench the following week in the capital.

"I have to be a lot fitter. It's [the game's] a lot quicker. You've got to clear that ball quickly," Cowan said of some realisations he'd had over the last two weeks.

"That's a big focus on me. There's great opportunities on snipping runs around the rucks. Those are the things I'm looking to adapt into my game."

The coaches were bringing out the best in all players, as competition within the team was not restricted to halfback.

"Look at the back three and in the forwards. We've all got to be on our game," Cowan said.

In bygone eras, rivalry among players lead to fractures in team culture, but Cowan said he and Weepu had a solid relationship.

"We've both been picked because we're good team men. He's been very supportive of me over the last four or five weeks in the Tests I was playing in, and I was with him last week," the feisty Southland linkman said.

"It's more about the team than individuals. I'd imagine we'd both want to be starting. The beauty about it is it brings out the best in both of us. I've got the chance this week and I'd imagine he'll be pushing the buttons at training to get me in the right frame of mind for Saturday."

Australia employed a similar up-tempo style to the All Blacks and Cowan was expecting a much quicker encounter that would Test his teammates aerobically.

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