Obituary Mr Owen Rowe

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 42

Obituary Mr Owen Rowe

One of rugby league’s rare links with Lancaster Park was severed by the death in Christchurch last Friday of Owen Francis Rowe. Mr Rowe scored three of Canterbury’s four tries in its 14-29 loss to the 1920 British rugby league team at Lancaster Park.

His record for most tries by a Canterbury player against a full international team still stands. That he achieved the feat at Lancaster Park made it all the more notable. Apart from a test match in 1920 and a

club fixture — part of a benefit day — in 1921, the gates of Lancaster Park have been locked to rugby league. A noted wet-weather footballer, Mr Rowe was only 20 years old on the auspicious day at Lancaster Park. He combined with a former Ail Black and Kiwi captain, Billy Mitchell, in the moves which led to his first two tries, then chased through after his own kick to touch down a third time.

Mr Rowe was in his first representative season. He continued to play for Canter-

bury until 1925 and was a national trialist.

He had made his rugby league debut in his mid-teens only two years after interclub competition began in 1913, “at Hagley Park, opposite Nancy Hancock’s pub." Mr Rowe shared in several of Sydenham’s early championship successes.

Decades later he could recall travelling by two coaches to Greymouth for games, the male passengers walking over Arthur’s Pass. It was a luxury if someone could arrange a car for matches at Hornby.