Karl Lowe

Position: Openside Flanker
Hurricane: 153
Height: 181
Weight: 101
Date of birth: 17/09/1984
Birthplace: Hastings
Province: Hawke's Bay
Nickname: Lowey
Career: 2009 - 2012
Points: 10 (2 tries)

Bio

Karl Lowe returned to Super Rugby in 2012 after missing the entire 2011 campaign with a knee injury. He returned to the field later in the year for the Hawke’s Bay Magpies, scoring two tries against Counties Manukau – the team that he had suffered his cruciate ligament knee injury against the previous year.

Knee injuries in 2012 again hampered his Hurricanes season, playing fewer than half their matches.

Previously, dynamic openside Lowe was a standout player for the Hurricanes in 2009, producing a string of strong games in a debut season which earned him selection in the Junior All Blacks side that retained the Pacific Nations Cup in June

Lowe joined the Hurricanes for the first time in 2009 on the back of another strong Air New Zealand Cup with the Hawke’s Bay Magpies. A specialist openside flanker with a huge work ethic, Lowe has proved himself as one of the most consistent loose forwards in New Zealand domestic rugby, always prominent in the defensive line and often featuring with ball in hand with his pace and power to the fore.

His form for the Hurricanes in 2010 was equally solid, earning nine starts out of a possible 13 in his favoured number 7 jersey and was subsequently selected for the New Zealand Maori side for their successful centenary series of matches.

Lowe had a brief foray as a hooker in 2006, before switching back to flanker where he continues to improve. In the 2008 ANZC he among was the top three players in the competition in three categories key to openside flankers: tackles, arrivals at rucks and hit-ups.

He scored two tries for the Magpies in his side’s ANZC semi-final loss to Canterbury at Jade Stadium in 2008