‘Aussie Mike’ eyes Wallabies spot
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Queensland Reds sharp-shooter Mike Harris can elevate himself onto the Wallabies bench by piloting University to a Queensland club premiership on Sunday.
New Zealand product Harris will play just his third match for Uni in the grand final against defending premiers Sunnybank at Ballymore but has a huge role to play.
The goalkicking No.10 or 12 returns to the five-eighth position where he stared the year for the Reds in a match which doubles as a Test audition for him.
Quade Cooper’s knee injury will see Kurtley Beale promoted to the Wallabies starting 15 to play South Africa in Pretoria on September 30, leaving a spare spot on the bench.
With just 10 minutes of on-field action over the past month, Harris is delighted Test coach Robbie Deans has allowed him a late Tuesday flight to the Republic.
“I’m really excited about it,” he told AAP.
“Obviously I haven’t played a lot of rugby for the Wallabies so the chance to get some footy in and to play in a grand final is huge.
“I’m definitely excited to have a go at 10. I haven’t played a lot there this year so it’s good.
“With Quade needing another operation it opens up a spot and hopefully I have a good showing in the grand final in the 10 jersey to prove my wares and push for that bench spot.
“I definitely want to grab the chance.”
Harris will line up against fellow Wallabies squad-members Ben Tapuai and Rob Simmons who will team up for Sunnybank.
It’s a battle of the 2010 champions (Uni) against the 2011 premiers and both enter the clash in strong form following respective thumpings of Brothers.
Uni will also feature Reds players James Hanson and Luke Morahan while the Dragons boast Queensland props Greg Holmes and Albert Anae and Melbourne Rebels fullback Richard Kingi.
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The Crowd Says (45) | Page 1 of Comments
- Explore:
- Mike Harris, Rugby Union, wallabies
September 22nd 2012 @ 6:01am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 6:01am | Report comment
aussie deans
aussie genia
aussie digby
aussie pocock
aussie vickerman
aussie gregan
aussie kefu brothers
aussie timani brothers
aussie noriaga and topo rodregiuz
aussie Lote tiquri
aussie quade
aussie james tamou
aussie willie mason
funny not many foreign born cricketers have played for OZ , yet england cricket has many rent a poms. funny that. and peony of aussy rent a palms over the years eg martin mcague, hollioke brothers, and craig white, jason callaghan to name a few. oh yes that huh grade standard wicket keeper in Australia geriant jones too lol.
September 22nd 2012 @ 6:52am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 6:52am | Report comment
oh id also add a few russian pole vaulters that beautiful russian woman tatiana and her then boyfriend was also a star russian pole vaulter. Gotta love the aussy bulgarian weightlifters richard they were funny. Kostya Tsu too is russian.
Heck i will add too star aussy hooker jeremy paul lol born in NZ, and aussy steve moore born in saudi arabia
aussy props aussy Glen panaho and ausssy pek cowman both also born in NZ
and aussy radike Samo lol born in Fiji
And aussy brendon julian cricketer born in NZ lol
Wallabies may as well be called not the QANTAS wallabies but the United Nations Wallabies lol.
September 22nd 2012 @ 7:11am
Mr Red said | September 22nd 2012 @ 7:11am | Report comment
Kiwi trolls – your beloved ABs are full of islanders too. Shame we let so many of you in. Unwanted back home eh bro?
September 22nd 2012 @ 9:15am
garth said | September 22nd 2012 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Of course the AB’s are full of Islanders. After all, New Zealand IS a polynesian island nation. We are all Islanders.
September 22nd 2012 @ 10:19am
Pug said | September 22nd 2012 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Australia is a mixing pot of cultures. We are a nation of migrants. That’s represented in our sporting teams
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:39am
stillmatic1 said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:39am | Report comment
every country is a mixing pot, pug. but hardly “multicultural” in the way the word likes to be used. australia is an anglo country with a smattering of other people, not a multicultural country.
and why do people assume that NZ shouldnt have polynesians? never heard of the moriori or maori? where do they come from? and when did anglo people arrive? before or after? i know white people like to forget about the aboriginal inhabitants of australia, but geez, NZ was, and is, a polynesian country with a heap of white people. why would maori think to live in the deep south of NZ? its too damn cold. left it for us nice scottish and irish stock, cos its too darn warm in the north for us!! and this is the story of NZ. chuck a few civil wars in there and some guy climbing a mountain and a few sheep, and there you have it.
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:44am
pug said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:44am | Report comment
My point was that Australia has a high migrant population. That high migrant population is represented in our rugby and sporting teams.
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:53am
stillmatic1 said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:53am | Report comment
yes i agree pug. most of my post was in reply to MR Red, not a stab at you. the whole of idea of being “multicultural” has always seemd to be a politcal thing, not one based on reality, or that australia is somehow more “multicultural” than anyone else.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:15pm
Kuruki said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
Mr Red name one current All Black who is not a New Zealander by birth? I am interested to know as i genuinely can’t think of one.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:32pm
Jerry said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
I believe the only current AB not born in NZ is Ben Franks, but his parents are Kiwis so he’d still be an NZer by birth.
So none, then.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:35pm
barcode said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
the all blacks do have a history of foreign players
September 22nd 2012 @ 7:11am
Rugby Tragic said | September 22nd 2012 @ 7:11am | Report comment
Australia flourished under its immigration policies and is, like it or not, a multi-national society. It’s wealth has been garnished largely by the welcome immigrants who made a choice of ‘wanting’ to live here and have contributed to the development of this country.
The sports men and women who live here irrespective of their country of birth surely are no different. To single out or quarantine these talented people is grossly insulting to them. They will remember their roots, as we all do, but they made a choice and I think this country is much richer for that.
In case anyone wonders, I was borne in NZ, nearly 70 years ago. My wife is Australian and after a stint in NZ for her and other countries we settled back in Aussie nearly 30 years ago. What has that to do with rugby or sports? – absolutely nothing other than to indicate that I made a choice.
Back to rugby, of course I play the code to the best of my ability (which was not so great) but above that I rose to follow the code over many years. Today I attend to as many matches as I can both Super 15 matches and internationals. I travel often to watch matches. While I still follow the All Blacks, I think I attend more Wallaby matches than most Australians! I live for the game!
Yes, I am critical of certain players and coaches, and have an opinion,I guess I would not be human if I didn’t. But I never, criticise an athlete as a result of his origins.
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September 22nd 2012 @ 9:22am
Shungmao said | September 22nd 2012 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Boys,
Love the banter!
But
Personally knowing quite a few of the boys you mention above just be careful, they are more Aussie than you might believe and they would be insulted if we challenged that. What I will say is all of the ones I know do acknowledge their heritage and are proud of it but are green and gold all the way.
September 22nd 2012 @ 9:25am
Skills & Techniques said | September 22nd 2012 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Only 64% of all All Blacks were born in NZ.
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September 22nd 2012 @ 9:47am
Beardie said | September 22nd 2012 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Evidence for that 64% , please.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:17pm
Jerry said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
It’s a load of bollocks, so you won’t get any.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:23pm
Kuruki said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
It amazes me what some people come up with. And most of the players people say NZ poached were still doing abc’s when they moved to NZ so either they played all thier rugby in NZ or we have the best pre teen talent scouts in the world.
September 22nd 2012 @ 10:03am
richard said | September 22nd 2012 @ 10:03am | Report comment
S & T, I am not interested in looking at some slanted ozzie view of nz rugby. Let me guess, most of those so- called foreigners are of pi descent – with very few exceptions, every one of those players has come through our systems, developed at great time and expense by nz. We DO NOT do what oz does – wait till another country has devloped them , and then poach the finished product. Timani, Kepu, Daniel Manu to name a few. Your super franchises aggressively target our players, who then have to be eligible for oz.
A more interesting survey would be seeing how many wb’s were born in oz – I’m sure it would be a hell of a lot less than 64%. And please don’t start up on how its only oz’s 4th ranked sport blah, blah blah.
September 22nd 2012 @ 10:25am
Welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 10:25am | Report comment
Timani bounced around 3 super rugby franchises for years, he was developed in oz. Kepu was an 8 in NZ, we developed him as a prop.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:18pm
Jerry said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:18pm | Report comment
Uh…no. He was converted to prop by Mike Cron as below.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/5341843/Sekope-Kepu-Aussie-No-1-that-got-away
“After making the New Zealand under-19s, Mike Cron, the All Blacks scrum coach, turned his life upside-down. At the team camp, Cron walked up to Kepu and said: ”You’re moving to the front row. I want to teach you how to be a loosehead.”
That was in 2004, after which he played NZ U-21′s and for Counties before moving to the Tahs in 2008, gaining Wallaby selection the same year.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:26pm
welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
He learned his trade at the Tahs, they taught him to scrummage.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:28pm
Jerry said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
Yeah, because Mike Cron – one of the premier scrum coaches in the world – did nothing for him.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:30pm
welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
I think he has packed more scrums in Oz than NZ.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:34pm
Jerry said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
Well, yeah – cause it’s been 5 years since he switched. But he’d packed more scrums in NZ when the Wallabies selected him.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:36pm
welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
Yeah dont know about that. he was an 8 in nz
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:37pm
Jerry said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Reading comprehension not so great, then?
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:41pm
welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Oh no i understand where you are coming from, I just dont agree. If you think stuff nz is great reference material, well then thats up to you. I reckon the Tahs developed his scrummaging
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:47pm
Jerry said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
You think Stuff makes up quotes? Cause here’s what they quote Kepu as saying about that meeting with Cron.
”That was it. From that moment I never went back to No 8,” Kepu said yesterday.
How about an Australian source – maybe they’re misquoting him too.
http://www.pandasports.com.au/2011/07/26/kepu-keen-to-repay-mentors-with-wallabies-win/
“It was Mike (Cron) who helped convert me from a guy who was a bit chubby for a No. 8 into a prop before the final trial for the NZ Under-19s (in 2005),” Kepu said.
How about his profile on the Tah’s website?
http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs/Team/SuperRugbySquad/PlayerPage/tabid/182/playerid/17/Default.aspx
“Current All Blacks forwards coach Mike Cron shifted Kepu from the back row to prop, where he enjoyed enormous successes with the Waikato Chiefs and Counties Manukau between 2005 and 2007″
Or his Wallaby Player Profile?
http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/81/Default.aspx
“Kepu is a former No 8 who was converted into a prop by the current New Zealand assistant coach, and front row specialist Mike Cron.”
September 22nd 2012 @ 10:16am
Patrick said | September 22nd 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
How many Wallabies have come through systems other than Australian? Mike Harris would be the exception, thus the constant piss taking on the fact he’s a kiwi
September 22nd 2012 @ 10:21am
Tigranes said | September 22nd 2012 @ 10:21am | Report comment
I suspect the wallabies capped Harris to make sure he can’t play for the all blacks
September 22nd 2012 @ 10:34am
Welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Mils Muliaina, Jerome Kaino, Isaia Toeava where all born in Samoa. Ben Franks who was born in Australia. Pots and kettles Our kiwi brothers!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha Ha HA HA Ha Ha HA HA HA HA HA. All that crap about quade cooper and there is foreign imports in the All Blacks ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:25am
stillmatic1 said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:25am | Report comment
mils was 2 years old when his family moved to invercargill. kaino was 4. toevea was 7. ben franks played no age group footy in oz. mike harris is a grown man who has been in oz for 6months FFS!! not all kettles are the same colour my friend.
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:34am
bob said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:34am | Report comment
They are still foreign born:) The wallabies developed Quade cooper, Digby, Pocock to name a few. Stick is given about them playing for oz regularly. It is pots calling the kettle black and its blatant hypocracy how ever you look at it. They are the same colour my colour blind friend.
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:50am
stillmatic1 said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:50am | Report comment
digby is fine. he was 5. quade was a teenager for gods sake. think he ever grew up wanting to be a wallaby? pocock is on the record saying he didnt think too much about what the wallabies meant whilst he was growing up. fact is, kaino, mils, toeva, franks, all grew up in NZ, are a product of the system from an early age and apart from lineage dont have much in the way of identity to their birth countries. like all people they enjoy knowing the history of where they come from, but do they identify with samoa?
the argument is not simply about where someone is born, especially if the person moved before he could tie his own shoelaces!! does nicole kidman identify with being hawaiian? mel gibson with america? mike harris/quade cooper with australia? of course not. where did they grow up and learn during their formative years? nationhood is a relatively new idea, but one that ties people together, for better or worse.
i appreciate that it could be easily cleared up if birth place was the only factor, but if your 6 months old, 2 years old etc when moving from your birth country, then how can you identify with it (unless your parents really push the value of home)?
the likes of samo, timani, harris played age group rugby for other countries and yet we have a system that lets them jump ship based on residency!! or a long lost relative. or the fact they saw uluru on a postcard.
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:59am
welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:59am | Report comment
I dont see how quade is any different. Cooper became one of three young players to break the record for most Australian schoolboy caps. I dare say that he is a product of the Australian rugby system. Pocock played Australian School boys with Quade Cooper. I am satisfied that Australia developed him.
Mike Harris playing for the wallabies, I dont like it at all.
Doesnt change the fact that a stupid amount of kiwi’s get upset about foreign born players in the wallabies when there are foreign born players in the All Blacks. I accept foreign born players in the wallabies as there are many foreign born Australians.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:06pm
stillmatic1 said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:06pm | Report comment
quade is definitely on the fence in that regard welsh. and i agree with you, that oz did take over in his development. but did he ever want to be a wallaby before the age of 15?
again, its not simply about birth place. is there no difference between a 2 year old and a 15 year old, or in the case of samo/timani, 19 years old, or harris as a 22 year old? if there isnt, then heaven help us, might us well get rid of national identity all together. maybe then we wont have to hate the yanks so much, hey!?
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:21pm
welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
I dont see how wanting to grow up being a wallaby has anything to do with it. Tana Umunga wanted to play league. he only started playing union after he got home sick with the newcastle knights. he didn’t want to be an all black growing up.
I reckon drawing the line on when and where poaching starts is up to the IRB and I dont mind the system as it is know. Although I don’t like the whole country of your grandparents business. As I said I don’t like Mike Harris playing for Australia. I don’t mind the residency rules. I believe its three years and that seems fair to me. People migrate around the world and that is a fact of life. a professional rugby players career is very short so three years is a long time if you migrated for that reason.
I don’t know about the jumping ship comment though? If you dont like the system maybe you could do something about it.
The system as it is allows for your foreign imports as it does ours. The people who migrated to NZ and the people that migrated to Australia.
September 22nd 2012 @ 11:58am
AWCMONREF said | September 22nd 2012 @ 11:58am | Report comment
The Wallabies developed Quade Cooper, as a Kiwi I have to say that is one of the greatest statements I’ve ever seen, now don’t ever blame us for his ( cough/splutter ) talent on and off the field…….
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:41pm
Kuruki said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
IMO there is a huge difference between moving in your nappies and moving as a high school kid.
It is the early ages where the passion and skills for the game are learned and taught. Cooper already had his rugby roots sewn before he moved to Aussie as a teenager. In comparison someone like Mills was still pooping his pants when he moved to NZ.
Samoa can be credited with supplying Mills fresh air for two years where as the New Zealand system can be credited with developing half of Coopers rugby life. That imo makes things significantly different.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:50pm
welsh said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
just accept the all blacks have foreign born talent as the wallabies do, take a deep breath and accept it.