Jul 18, 2006 2:37 pm US/Eastern
Russell Crowe Becomes Coach For A Day
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) ―
Actor Russell Crowe is taking a hands-on approach with his last-place Australian rugby league team.
Crowe, who became a part-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs early last month, led the National Rugby League side in a bike ride and 10-pin bowling session Tuesday. He later gave the team, which has won only one of 18 matches this season, a pep talk.
South Sydney captain Peter Cusack said the Rabbitohs expected a tougher morning practice from Crowe, but that rainy weather caused a change of plans.
"It was good. I think the big thing was just doing something as a team, as a unit," Cusack said. "It was still training, still getting something out of it with the bike ride."
It was the first session Crowe has led since officially taking over the club with businessman Peter Holmes a Court on June 8.
Between the bike ride and the bowling at Centennial Park in downtown Sydney, Crowe told the team to concentrate on building for the future.
"He just spoke about what we were doing, where we were going," Cusack said. "I think what he expects is that we win as many games as we can and have a good platform ... for next year."
Rabbitohs head coach Shaun McRae said his players enjoy the new owners' close connection with the team.
"I think it's just tremendous that they're (Crowe and Holmes a Court) available pretty much all the time to show an interest in everything that goes on," said McRae.
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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