Bowden is in Auckland recovering from the concussion he sustained playing for the Highlanders against the Bulls in Pretoria 10 days ago.
He has a useful couple of weeks to clear his head before returning to the field against the Blues at Carisbrook.
‘‘I've been to see the specialist. They did all the usual tests and cleared me to play but also said it would be ideal to have a couple of weeks off,'' Bowden said yesterday.
‘‘The day after it happened, I had a couple of headaches, but otherwise I have been fine.''
The incident happened when Bowden made a break against the Bulls, was tackled from behind and fell on to fullback Zane Kirchner's hip.
He played on for a few minutes before being assessed by the medical staff and told to go to the sidelines.
‘‘I didn't really know what I was doing. Apparently, I was asking the boys where I was.''
Bowden had also taken a knock to the head the previous week, in the loss to the Sharks at Carisbrook, so it was decided he should return to New Zealand.
Twenty-odd hours on a plane was bad enough, but one of his flights was also delayed, forcing the first five-eighth to spend 4hr at Sydney Airport.
At 22, Bowden is not the youngest rookie in the Super 14. But like the six other greenhorns in a Highlanders squad that has lost nine games out of 10, he has had a brutal lesson in what is required to compete at this level.
His form has been up-and-down, he copped a week's suspension for a dangerous tackle and he found himself demoted to the bench and replaced by James Wilson, more regularly a fullback.
You might expect his confidence to have slipped but Bowden, an ebullient character, has quietly sucked up the disappointments and intends to use them to his advantage.
‘‘It's been a big learning curve for me. I thought I was building up all right at the start of the year but then I had a rough game against the Chiefs.
‘‘James came in and played quite well. I was due to play against the Stormers and then my season was disrupted.
‘‘I've still got two games left, big games against the Blues and the Crusaders, and I want to finish on a high note. You can only get better by playing regularly at this level. I've learned a lot.
‘‘The team's got so many new players and as a unit we know we're going to be a lot better next year.''
Bowden backs the Highlanders to post their second win of the season against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this weekend.
He felt the Highlanders were unlucky in the early rounds, then played within themselves. But he is adamant they are better than their lowly placing and terrible win-loss record suggests.
Later this year, Bowden looks forward to making a better impression when he makes his provincial debut with Otago after three seasons in Northland.
For now, he's enjoying catching up with partner Hayley Morwood, who has her own big sporting date to look forward to - she is captaining the New Zealand women's football team at the Olympic Games.
‘‘I'm pretty jealous that she's going to the Olympics but I'm really pleased for her.''
