Gavin Cummiskey profiles a talented New Zealander who has settled seamlessly into Leinster's backrow
Cameron Jowitt has a far better claim to fame than being a professional rugby player. Rachel Hunter was his babysitter. Yes, Rod Stewart's former missus. It's debateable which is New Zealand's most successful export: the voluptuous supermodel or nomadic flanker.
Unfortunately the latter doesn't remember his early days in Auckland but Rick Jowitt has passed on some fond memories.
"Yeah, she was my babysitter," he laughs when asked to confirm the rumour. "My dad and her dad worked together. I can't actually remember, I was too young but dad's told me a few stories."
Fast forward to the early hours of Sunday morning, April 2nd. The neighbours are rustled from sleep in the same Auckland suburb by an explosion of cheering. Keith Gleeson gets his claws into Freddie Michalak and the flaky outhalf floats a pass into Jowitt's breadbasket hands for Leinster's crucial second try in Toulouse.
So who the hell is this 23-year-old that has kept Eric Miller on the bench all season? And isn't he supposed to be a lock? The arrival of a 6ft 7in (200 cm) giant of Samoan extraction to Lansdowne Rugby Club last autumn went largely unnoticed. For Jowitt, Dublin was a short-term fix. The National Provincial Championship (NPC) season had ended and having failed to compile enough game time to be considered for a Blues contract his options dried up at home.
Wanderers number eight Pom Simona, a former team-mate at Auckland University, recommended Lansdowne as an outlet for Jowitt to pursue the stalled dream of one day becoming an All Black.
"I've always been training full-time but in New Zealand you are not a professional player until you are training with the Blues or (another) Super 14 (franchise). I wasn't going to make it this year so I decided to come over here. I always intended to become a professional rugby player so it has worked out good but the best part of moving here was to see Europe."
Bourgoin, Toulouse, Bath and some dingy hotels in the Welsh Valleys and Scottish Borders is more mileage than your average back-packer clocks up in a lifetime.
Typical of the import system in Irish rugby, Leinster struck gold by accident. He won't be playing Super 14 next season either. Well, he shouldn't be.
In yet another example of the feet- dragging in Irish rugby, Jowitt hasn't been signed for next season. Bourgoin already snapped up his flatmate and fellow Kiwi Bryce Williams after two decent outings against the French club in the European Cup Pool stages.
Ironically, Lansdowne have been punished for researched sourcing of talent in the Southern Hemisphere. Jowitt has given them 40 minutes this season before two outstanding performances for Leinster A led to a development contract.
He has the cut of a lock but all his Leinster appearances have been at blindside wing forward. A handy option at the back of the lineout.
Jowitt was a bit of a superstar at underage. In his final year, 2002, at Kings College he captained both the rugby and cricket first XV's before being selected in a New Zealand schools side containing present All Blacks Ben Atiga, Luke McAllister, John Afoa, Jerome Kaino and Joe Rococoko. These are familiar names to current backrow partner Jamie Heaslip, who played against arguably the greatest ever All Black under-21 side in the 2003 World Cup final. Jowitt missed out on selection due to a broken hand.
The magnitude of Sunday's game isn't lost on him either and respect is duly paid to the Munster eight. "Obviously they've got big name players and a renowned forward pack. Even back home the Munster pack gets talked about but I'm just going to concentrate on doing my duties properly."
Rewind to the early hours of April 2nd. Late afternoon in Toulouse. His dad Rick and brother Bradley are in Le Stadium but the rest of the clan are in New Zealand. Wide awake. It was roughly 8am in LA. Rachel was probably up doing her pilates. Not a clue that a former toddler she once baby-sat was smearing the icing on the sweetest of cakes.
