Wallaby forward Tom Bowman has been dropped again from the New South Wales Waratahs raising the prospect that he might leave to link up with another Super 12 outfit.
His manager John Fordham said Bowman was upset about his second axing in as many seasons and suggested any continuing problems may force him to quit his home state.
Fordham said NSW coach Ian Kennedy had told Bowman he had been dropped from the 23-man squad for Friday night's match with the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch because of his lineout work. But Fordham claimed Bowman was deprived of lineout ball, with fellow second-rower John Welborn taking the majority of throws.
"It's unfair to be dropping him for lineouts because he doesn't call the lineouts, they are called by John Welborn, who calls himself practically every throw," Fordham said. "So it's pretty hard for Tom Bowman to be a standout lineout jumper when the ball is not going to him."
Fordham claimed Bowman only contested two lineout throws in last weekend's game against the Hurricanes.
While the NSW team to play the Crusaders won't be announced until later in the week, Peter Besseling will definitely line up instead of Bowman. Besseling played well earlier in the season when Bowman was injured and last weekend returned to club rugby after missing four games with a knee injury.
Fordham said Bowman's sacking was inconsistent after Kennedy had praised his all-round performance in the Waratahs' previous win against the front-running ACT Brumbies.
"He is very upset to have lost his place on the premise that it is through a lack of performance at lineouts, when in fact it is beyond Tom's control as to where the ball is thrown," Fordham said.
Kennedy said he didn't want to get into a slanging match with Fordham, but claimed some of his assertions were untrue.
"I think he (Bowman) is saying he perceives that he wasn't getting a fair go because John (Welborn) is calling the lineouts and he doesn't call him enough. Well, we had a look at the stats and there's really nothing," Kennedy said.
"Tom just feels that he needs to get into the game early to get some confidence and that's all it is," Kennedy said.
Asked why Bowman had been dropped, Kennedy replied: "I think Peter Besseling can give us some lineout options that are available."
Bowman, 23, who has played 16 Tests, starred in his first year as an international in 1998 but has subsequently struggled for consistency and only made last year's World Cup squad as a late replacement for the injured Brett Robinson. His current contract with the Australian Rugby Union which ties him to NSW, expires this year and Fordham is due to discuss his client's situation with the ARU next week.
"Our priority has been to secure a new contract at NSW, but if we're going to have ongoing difficulties as has occurred today, where he (Bowman) has been unfairly dropped from the side, we will be casting a net a lot wider than NSW."
Winger Matt Dowling, who was recently dropped from the NSW squad, has been added to the Waratahs squad on standby because of injury concerns with captain and centre Jason Little (quadricep muscle) and winger Dominic Byrne (shin soreness).
NSW squad: Matt Burke, Scott Staniforth, Dominic Byrne, Matt Dowling, Jason Little, Nathan Grey, Marc Stcherbina, Christian Warner, Manuel Edmonds, Chris Whitaker, Sam Payne, Tiaan Strauss, Stu Pinkerton, Michael Brial, Phil Waugh, David Lyons, Peter Besseling, John Welborn, Rod Moore, Jason Reilly, Richard Harry, Mark Crick, Brendan Cannon.