He played representative rugby union (RU) for South of Scotland, including against the New Zealand All-Blacks at Netherdale, Galashiels[2][3] and at club level for Selkirk RFC, and club level rugby league (RL) for Hull FC, as a wing or centre.
Cowan died in February 2015 after a short illness.
[2][3] Cowan played on the wing in Hull FC's 13-30 defeat by Wigan in the 1959 Challenge Cup Final during the 1958–59 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1959, in front of a crowd of 79,811,[4] and played at centre in the 5-38 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1960 Challenge Cup Final during the 1959–60 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 14 May 1960, in front of a crowd of 79,773.
[5] Cowan played on the wing in Hull FC's 14-15 defeat by Featherstone Rovers in the 1959 Yorkshire Cup Final during at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 31 October 1959, in front of a crowd of 23,983.
; James "Jim"/"Jimmy" Cowan, and the older brother of the rugby union and rugby league footballer; Ronnie Cowan.