Daniel Bowden

Daniel Russell Bowden (born 1 April 1986) is a New Zealand rugby union player, currently playing for Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. Bowden played three seasons for the Northland Taniwha in the National Provincial Championship. He debuted at the age of 18, earning player of the year in 2007.Bowden transferred from Northland to Otago for the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup, where he played in eight games. His first match was on 9 August 2008 in Dunedin when he came off the bench against Canterbury and kicked a penalty. Bowden went on to score 41 points in total for Otago in 2008. Bowden then signed a two-year contract with the Auckland Rugby Union. He said the decision to move north was based solely on wanting to get back to be with his family and girlfriend, Football Ferns captain Hayley Moorwood. Bowden's Auckland career came to halt after only four games in the 2009 season due to a season ending ankle injury. Bowden played his first match for the Highlanders on Friday 15 February 2008 when he started against the Reds in Brisbane, he kicked one penalty. Since then he went on to play a further 10 matches for the southern Super Rugby side in 2008, starting in 8 of them. Bowden finished the season with 23 points. In 2009 Bowden returned to the Highlanders franchise. In the 2009 season he started in all of the matches, either playing first-five or second-five. Known as very good attacker with quick footwork and a great passing game, he scored more than 50 points in the 2009 season. He was later that year signed by the Crusaders for the 2010 Super 14 season. Bowden was picked up in the draft by the Crusaders in the 2010 Crusaders squad . After an injury in the preseason, Bowden missed the first 5 games of the season, then starred in his debut for the Crusaders against the Cheetahs playing at flyhalf and was named Man of the Match. He went on to form a partnership playing Second five-eighth outside All Black Dan Carter, and started in the semi-final against the Bulls in Soweto. B