A coal miner by profession, Watcyn Thomas remembered him in his autobiography, as a dedicated player, turning out for Wales on Saturday before returning immediately to his shift underground at his mine.
[2] Although Cross Keys was seen as an unfashionable club at the time, it had already produced two respected internationals in Steve Morris and Ossie Male; therefore although unusual, it was not a surprise when Bowdler was selected for the Welsh rugby team.
An unsuccessful period in Welsh rugby, Bowdler played through into the early 1930s when the team's fortunes began changing.
He missed the 1931 Five Nations Championship, when Wales actually won the tournament, but was selected to play against the 1931 touring South Africans.
His final game was at Ravenhill against Ireland in 1933, when Wales lost the selectors dropped 11 players from the squad.