Club career Cowie signed for
Rochdale Hornets in 1986 and went on to make 16 appearances in his first season. Over the next four seasons he became a regular in the Rochdale Hornets front row, occasionally playing as a . His blockbusting performances caught the attention of
Wigan and he signed for them at the end of the
1990–91 season. The transfer fee was set by a tribunal, with Wigan paying an initial £65,000 to Rochdale, plus an additional £15,000 when Cowie made his international debut. During the
1991–92 season, Cowie played for defending champions Wigan as a substitute in their
1991 World Club Challenge victory against the visiting
Penrith Panthers. During the
1992–93 season, Cowie was a
substitute (replacing
Steve Hampson) in Wigan's 5–4 victory over
St Helens in the
1992 Lancashire Cup Final at
Knowsley Road,
St Helens on 18 October 1992. He also played in Wigan's 15–8 victory over
Bradford Northern in the
1992–93 Regal Trophy Final at
Elland Road,
Leeds on 23 January 1993, During the
1993–94 season, Cowie played in the 2–33 defeat by
Castleford in the
1993–94 Regal Trophy Final at
Elland Road,
Leeds on 22 January 1994. Cowie travelled with defending champions
Wigan to Brisbane, playing as a in their
1994 World Club Challenge victory over Australian premiers, the
Brisbane Broncos. During the
1994–95 season, Cowie played in the 40–10 victory over
Warrington in the
1994–95 Regal Trophy Final at
Alfred McAlpine Stadium,
Huddersfield on 28 January 1995. During the
1995–96 season, Cowie played in the 25–16 victory over St Helens in the
1995–96 Regal Trophy Final at Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield on 13 January 1996. Cowie played for Wigan Warriors from the bench in their
1998 Super League Grand Final victory over
Leeds Rhinos. In June 2000, Cowie converted a drop goal, the only one-pointer he scored in his career, in a 30–18 victory over the
Bradford Bulls. He played for Wigan at prop forward in their
2000 Super League Grand Final loss against St Helens. Cowie played for Wigan Warriors from the bench in their
2001 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Bradford Bulls. This turned out to be his last appearance for the club, as he announced his retirement shortly after the match.
Representative career Cowie was selected to go on the
1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand. Cowie won
caps for
Wales while at Wigan in 1995 against England, and France, and in the
1995 Rugby League World Cup against Western Samoa, in 1996 against England, in 1998 against England, and in 1999 against Ireland, and Scotland, and won
caps for
Great Britain while at Wigan in 1993 against France, and in 1998 against New Zealand (2 matches). ==References==