Ewan Dowes

Ewan Dowes
Personal information
Full nameRobert Ewan Dowes[1]
Born (1981-03-04) 4 March 1981 (age 43)
Carlisle, Cumbria, England
Playing information
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight108 kg (17 st 0 lb)
Rugby league
PositionProp
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2001–03 Leeds Rhinos 11 0 0 0 0
2003–11 Hull FC 240 10 0 0 40
2013 Workington Town 29 0 0 0 0
2014 Dewsbury Rams 19 2 0 0 8
Total 299 12 0 0 48
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2003 Cumbria 1 1 0 0 4
2004–06 England 7 0 0 0 0
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2001 Leeds Tykes
Source: [2][3][4]

Ewan Dowes (born 4 March 1981) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Leeds Rhinos and Hull FC in the Super League. Dowes' usual position was prop. He was a member of the Hull team that won the 2005 Challenge Cup.[2] Dowes was sport's first owner of a dual rugby code contract.

Career

Rugby union

Born in Carlisle, Dowes attended Sedbergh School near Kendal, where he played on both the 1st XV and 1st XI. In his final year at Sedbergh he trained and played alongside future rugby union international James Simpson-Daniel.[5] A review of his performance in the school magazine states: "Ewan Dowes was well to the fore in all departments, carrying the ball powerfully, scrummaging purposefully." In 2000, he was selected by England for the rugby union Junior World Championships.[6]

Rugby league

Ewan Dowes in action for Hull

Dowes became the first known player to sign a dual rugby code contract, playing rugby union for Leeds Tykes and rugby league for Leeds Rhinos.[7] Dowes later decided to focus solely on his rugby league career, but with only limited first team opportunities at the Rhinos, he joined Hull on loan in May 2003,[8] before making the move permanent a month later.[9]

Dowes played for Hull at prop in their 2005 Challenge Cup victory against the Leeds Rhinos, signing a new contract at the end of the season.[10] Hull also reached the 2006 Super League Grand final to be contested against St. Helens, and Dowes played as a prop in his side's 4-26 loss.[11][12] In October 2010, he signed a new one-year contract with the club.[13] He was released after his contract expired at the end of the 2011 Super League season.

After spending a year in Australia, Dowes returned to England and joined Workington Town.[14] In 2014, he joined Dewsbury Rams.[15]

He played at international level for England, making seven appearances between 2004 and 2006.[3]

After retiring from rugby, Dowes worked as a financial adviser.[16]

References

  1. ^ Companies House
  2. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Player Summary: Ewan Dowes". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Ultimate Challenge for public schoolboy". The Guardian. 23 August 2005. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  6. ^ "England side to play Australia in Junior World Cup". ESPN. 13 April 2000. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Leeds crack rugby codes". BBC. 1 May 2001. Retrieved 27 June 2007.
  8. ^ "Dowes to help injury-hit Hull". The Independent. 20 May 2003. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Dowes signs for Hull". BBC. 30 July 2003. Retrieved 27 June 2007.
  10. ^ "Dowes pleased to stay with Hull". BBC Sport. 25 November 2005. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  11. ^ "St Helens 26-4 Hull FC". BBC News. 14 October 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  12. ^ "Dowes praises Hull's self-belief". BBC. 7 October 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2007.
  13. ^ "Ewan Dowes signs new one-year deal at Hull FC". BBC Sport. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Workington Town sign ex-England prop Ewan Dowes". BBC Sport. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Dowes makes Dewsbury move". Eurosport. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Ewan Dowes: From rugby league star to SJP financial adviser". Portfolio Adviser. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2023.