Fears grow for Bowe: Six Nations Preview Special:

Bowe gets in for another try against the oldest of Old Enemies

 "Ireland is my home

and I'd love 

to come back.

I'd play for 

any of the 

(Irish) provinces"

- Tommy Bowe

            

....YOU BEAUTY!

With ten days to go until Ireland's Six Nations opener in Rome, Tommy Bowe faces a race against time to be fit to face Italy.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney will go down on bended knee in the hope that Bowe's knee will heal in time for Ireland's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on Saturday week. The back three area is now approaching crisis point. Full-backs Rob Kearney (knee) and Geordan Murphy (foot) and wings Andrew Trimble (hand) and Horgan have been removed by injury. An inconclusive scan has meant Bowe travelled to the United Kingdom to seek further investigation into his knee injury yesterday, and he was joined by fellow casualty Jamie Heaslip. 

Bowe (left): 2009 Grand Slam Winner: 2010 RBS Player of the Six Nations

Tommy Bowe try v Wales sees Ireland home to Grand Slam

The versatile, play-almost-anywhere Bowe could be asked to operate at full-back or on the left or right wings. He has come a long way down the road since making his Ireland debut as a raw, unappreciated kid against the US Eagles in November 2004. 

He went back to Ulster for refuge, for resurgence. It was there he won over the critics before leaving the nest in Belfast for the deeper pockets and deeper pool of talent at the Ospreys.

"I won Irish Players' Player of the Year the season before I went to the Ospreys. I had got back into the Irish team, having not played at the 2007 World Cup. I have Ulster to thank for that."

Bowe extended his stay in Wales by three years last summer.

Bowe admires Leinster's attacking, WINNING rugby (above & below)

"I would love to come back. Ireland is my home. I will be 29 at the end of my current Osprey's contract.   It will be interesting to see how I am playing then."

Bowe is quick to point to Leinster's adventurous style of rugby as a source of excitement to him. They play it his way, attacking on the angle and offloading whenever possible.

"Yeah, they're playing some great stuff. They're really firing at the minute. In the Leinster backline, there is not much room for me to go anywhere.

"They have players on the bench who would be starting in other teams. It shows the level of competition there. When players get a chance, they have to show their best to keep their place."

Just like Tommy Bowe.