Sydney, March 16, 2005. Waratahs lock Justin Harrison at a press conference today in Sydney. Justin Harrison has admitted to making racially offensive remarks against a black South African player during last weekend’s Super 12 rugby match against the Cats. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)
On Monday, Justin Harrison, the controversial and tough as a plank second rower, will turn up for training with the ACT Brumbies. The Roar has learnt that Harrison has signed terms with the Brumbies for the 2010 season, and that the ARU has refused to endorse the contract.
The stage is set for a bitter battle between the Brumbies and the ARU over Harrison.
The ARU has refused to allow the Brumbies to sign Harrison as a local player. The ARU is within its rights to do this. The Roar understands, however, that the Brumbies will try to sign Harrison up as an overseas player, a right that the franchise may be able to exercise without the endorsement of the ARU.
But whether this tactic is open to the Brumbies management remains in doubt.
Harrison made his Super Rugby debut with the Brumbies in 1997. He became a Wallaby in 2001 in the third Test against the British and Irish Lions. His lineout snatch against the throw in the final minutes of the Test effectively ended the Lions fight-back.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science from the UNSW in 2008. In 2004 he played a season with the NSW Waratahs. He was accused of using racial slurs against the South African winger Chumani Booi in 2005.
Then he joined Ulster and earned a reputation as a sledger. He joined Bath in 2008 and left in May this year. A RFU disciplinary panel charged him and three other players with ‘conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game.’ Harrison was banned from playing or coaching rugby until January 13, 2010 after he admitted taking cocaine and fighting with a member of the Harlequins playing staff.
The ARU, apparently, believe that a player with this sort of record should not be given a contract to play Super 14 rugby for an Australian franchise. This year the ARU has taken tough action to clean up the behaviour of a number of players. Harrison has been a serial offender in the past and the ARU is unwilling to give him a further chance to play rugby in Australia.
The Brumbies case is that Harrison has served his suspension and that he has pleaded for a chance for redemption.
There is, moreover, a shortage of tough, experienced second-rowers in Australian rugby, and in the Brumbies franchise. With Matt Giteau coming back to control a backline loaded with talent, the Brumbies say they need a tough enforcer, a Brumbies equivalent of Bakkies Botha, to provide the grunt and the muscle in the forwards for the backs to work off.
Whether the Brumbies get their enforcer, though, depends on how successful they are in their off-the-field fight with the ARU.
Amband
Guest
too many Queenslanders in the team. We need more brumbie and Randwick players, and get away from Private school preferences
Amband
Guest
I've looked at some info on the net about that brawl and see nothing about harrison copping a flogging from a 5'11 bloke named 'Skinner"
Amband
Guest
quote " He was accused of using racial slurs against the South African winger Chumani Booi in 2005." So what. It's between Harrison and the alleged recipient of the insult quote "Then he joined Ulster and earned a reputation as a sledger" He'd be an asset to the Oz cricket team quote "after he admitted taking cocaine and fighting with a member of the Harlequins playing staff." Oh dear. Of course both those things should be frowned upon. Surely this should not stand in the way of his career. He's a wonderful player I would say, after recent revelations, Tiger Woods is morally worse, but bloody lucky too :D
crashy
Guest
most importantly - does that mean we'll see the big fella at TJ Milner?
JezNez
Guest
Mate, I suspect he will do the same thing Nathan Sharpe does and jog to that first post defensive role one off the ruck all game. Would love to be proved wrong...
Cattledog
Roar Guru
Good reasoned argument Pete. Seems everyone cries fowl of the ARU. Thank God there's someone there keeping some of the lunatic decisions in focus.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
You don't reckon the Tahs and Reds wouldn't have given it a bit of thought? I understand the circumstances - and surely that's pretty good contingency planning?
Hammer
Guest
Oh he was hawked alright...
Hammer
Guest
Jimmy... you know!
Red Rooster
Guest
Please Pip you are better than that. Dont think that Harrison wasn't hawked around to all the teams so he could achieve some sort of redemption. This was not a race to sign an up and coming player, rather a risk taking venture that the Brumbies were happy to participate in. He is best mates with some of their coaches so it is not hard to see how it came together. The word is they only signed him because Kimlins injury is bad so if he wasn't crook then they wouldn't have signed him. The fact the ARU is not keen is no surprise and everyone knows that this would be the ARU reaction
Hammer
Guest
Too late folks the deal is done! Old, soft, druggie, racist, mouth, slow, pain in the a@#se rugby dinosaur,,, whatever he is he will give the competition some much needed character by outplaying, out talking ALL of his peers in the S14. Love him or hate him he has one shot at redemption and I am sure he will give it his best shot (no pun intended)and put some of the pretenders in their place.
Comrade Bear
Guest
No thanks! Don't want him - don't need him. Plenty of good young locks coming through at the Reds.
Campbell Watts
Guest
Enforcer - no! I'd call him a niggler more than anything. Yap yap yap! Always had something to say! Anoying little twat he was!
Campbell Watts
Guest
Because he scuttled out of the country before a test could be conducted on him!!
Barking Glider
Guest
Dell had a public media "mea maxima culpa" conference where he apologised and then he spent two years being ostracised by everyone and pondering his errors and future. Meanwhile Harrison has escaped any examination by the Australian media and not been punished anywhere near as severely. He deserves no sympathy.
Chris
Guest
We all saw what Dell did when he got his chance at the Dragons. Harrison seems to realise that this is his only chance to go out on a high - and from what I have read he seems determined to do just that. Good on him and good on the Brumbies for giving him that chance.
Pete
Guest
I see in the SMH today that Harrison has signed with the Brumbies for 2010. He appears genuinely remorseful. Smarter and more informed people than I at the Brumbies and ARU recognise that Harrison has served his ban and will provide a worthwhile contribution to the team for the season. I wish him well for his return.
JezNez
Guest
Harrison 'the enforcer' is a myth. JH played with Owen Finegan down at the Brumbies - Finegan had two nicknames Melon and The Pest, the second of these was for his ability to get under the skin of opposing teams. When Melon left Harrison decided someone had to take over the mantle and started playing like an idiot. I'm a long suffering Tahs fan (tautology?) but when I watched Philipo Levi rearrange JH's face in a match against the Highlanders at the SFS I nearly cheered for the opposition. Plank as rightly pointed out above is not a complimentary nickname, it was about his workrate and contribution to the team being about the level put in by a piece of wood. He was an excellent lineout option but his open field and ruck/maul play was sub-standard and I always thought his lack of weight was adding to our scrum woes. (although the front row needs to take the major blame - see Wallaby and Tahs scrums going forward with Mumm in them this year). As to who is right or wrong - not sure. If the IRB says he is eligible then the Brumbies can seemingly pick him but the ARU has built a track record of removing people from the professional game that bring it into disrepute. Personally I fall on the side of the ARU. Have the two guys plucked from the club ranks for the second row on this tour got S14 spots yet? I know one of them was let go by the Tahs. They should be signed up first.
Jameswm
Guest
Can someone explain to me how the Brumbies are still the best S14 side in Australia? Geez, the Canberra paranoia...
Pippinu
Roar Guru
"N.B. Realistically, the only team he has been in that has done well is ACT. " KO - but in the Australian context - that's saying a lot!!