Harris in frame to be Wallabies' 10

Updated May 30, 2012 18:50:45

New Zealand-born Queensland playmaker Mike Harris appears to be well in the mix to wear the Wallabies' number 10 jersey in Tuesday's Test against Scotland in Newcastle.

Harris lined-up at five-eighth during the Wallabies train-on squad's opposed session on Wednesday and is a realistic option to call the shots against Scotland should coach Robbie Deans wish to keep his Reds team-mate Quade Cooper out of the firing line.

New South Wales playmaker Berrick Barnes and another Queenslander, Ben Lucas, are also in the frame but Barnes was just an onlooker at training on Wednesday as he prepares for the Waratahs' match on Saturday night.

Harris only arrived in Australia two years ago when signed by Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie, but qualifies to play for the Wallabies through a paternal grandmother.

The 23-year-old has played mostly inside centre for the Reds this year, but showed in the early rounds of the Super Rugby season that his strong kicking game made him a steady option at number 10.

Cooper has only played two matches this season in his return from a knee injury, and despite being named in the train-on squad, it is thought Deans might not wish to start him against Scotland.

Meanwhile, boom number seven prospect Michael Hooper says he is looking to learn plenty from the world's premier openside flanker David Pocock during Wallabies camp.

The in-form Brumbies forward, who will join the Waratahs next year, says in many respects he has tried to model his game on Pocock and is hopeful of a chance to serve as his understudy during the mid-year Tests.

"It's good to spend some time with him ... he's actually been great, he helps out a lot. The more information I can get out of him the better," Hooper said.

"He's one of the best sevens around so it's a no-brainer there.

"[He's been helping with] roles and plays, and what to do and where."

AAP

Tags: rugby-union, sport, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia

First posted May 30, 2012 18:50:45

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Harris on edge for Eden Park return

Updated April 23, 2012 17:14:40

Kiwi recruit Mike Harris will finally get a first-hand chance to show the Blues what they missed when the Queensland Reds take on Super Rugby's "sleeping beasts" on Friday night.

Queensland's round-10 clash at Eden Park holds special significance for Harris, who was overlooked by the Auckland-based franchise before the Reds pounced to sign him in late 2010.

The former New Zealand Schoolboys and under-20s back was a revelation for the Reds in their charge towards the 2011 crown before being cut down by a season-ending knee injury.

Rubbing extra salt into his wounds was the fact he sustained the patella injury just a week before Queensland was set to face the Blues at Lang Park.

A North Harbour product, Harris admitted he had looked forward to playing the Aucklanders all season until disaster struck.

"Obviously, I'm pretty excited to get out there and play a team that I was on the fringes for for a couple of years," the Reds superboot said.

"There's a bit more meaning behind that for myself."

He will have his parents among a large family contingent at Eden Park but his supporters will also be inside the enemy camp with his North Harbour mentor Jeff Wilson the Blues skills coach.

Former All Black Wilson went in to bat for Harris in a big way in 2010 trying to help him to gain a NZ Super Rugby contract, first with the Blues and then with other provinces, but with no joy.

The closest he came was as a member of the Blues' wider training squad.

Now a serious Wallabies prospect due to an Australian-born grandmother, Harris is looking to keep his unbeaten record at the NZRU's spiritual home after enjoying NPC and representative age success there.

He is expected to line up at inside centre, opposite destructive All Blacks Ma'a Nonu and Rene Ranger in the midfield, with Ben Lucas likely to start at five-eighth in an injury-riddled Reds backline.

Semi-finalists last year, the last-placed Blues have been 2012's major disappointments but all at the Reds are wary about the under-achievers clicking into gear.

"They'll be disappointed with the way they've gone this time but, at the same time, I think they're a bit of a sleeping beast and they are a team that can bite you if you don't turn up so we really have to be on our game," Harris said.

"They love to attack and they don't try to hide that. They love to run the ball and they've got good skilled players right throughout their team and, if their offloads stick, they're definitely hard to stop."

Wallabies winger Digby Ioane is set to make his return from suspension next to Harris in the centres while there is hope fellow Test back Anthony Faingaa (foot) can come back on the bench.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted April 23, 2012 17:14:40

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Reds superboot Harris on record pace

Updated March 04, 2012 20:01:35

Sharp-shooter Mike Harris has fired Queensland to its best Super Rugby start in 13 years and ensured Quade Cooper can no longer expect to regain the goal kicking duties he relishes.

Five-eighth Harris kicked a Reds record-equalling nine goals in Saturday night's 35-20 victory over Western Force at Lang Park, taking his overall competition tally to an amazing 24 from 24 attempts over the past two seasons.

The New Zealander's flawless record contains 16 accurate kicks in two matches this season, a significant factor in the Reds posting two straight-up wins for the first time since 1999.

Wallabies playmaker Cooper loves goal kicking and was the competition's leading point scorer as the Reds took the 2011 crown with 228 points.

But his 74 goals (43 penalties and 31 conversions) came at 68 per cent.

Reds coach Ewen McKenzie will be unable to ignore Harris' radar-boot when Cooper reclaims his number 10 jersey next month in his comeback from a knee reconstruction.

McKenzie denies he is looked that far ahead yet noted the robust 23-year-old's versatility will allow him to remain a starter at either inside centre or full-back.

"I think they're some phenomenal statistics," McKenzie said. "It's going to be a plus for us.

"But I don't worry about those things. We'll worry about that when it becomes a problem but at the moment it's not a problem we have."

Harris, who slotted two from the sideline in the wet against the Force, also kicked 10 from 11 in trials for the Reds.

With referees strictly policing the ruck in the opening weeks to instil better discipline for the rest of the season, the Reds are happy to use Harris to punish rivals infringing at the breakdown.

"When he's lining them up, you pretty much stand on the 22 (waiting for the halfway restart)," Reds half-back Will Genia said.

"It's very reassuring to have a kicker like him there because you're almost guaranteed three points and you just keep building a lead and putting pressure on the scoreboard."

Overlooked by the Blues before being picked up by Queensland from New Zealand provincial team North Harbour, Harris' current tally is creeping up towards records in both rugby codes.

Bulldogs super-boot Hazem El Masri slotted 35 straight in the NRL, while Springbok Morne Steyn currently holds the Test rugby record streak of 41, breaking Scot Chris Paterson's mark of 36 in 2010.

"He's striking them well, even when he's not striking them good they're going over, it's ridiculous," Force coach Richard Graham said.

The Reds, who let through two soft second-half tries through poor one-on-one defence, do have their issues with prop Ben Daley in doubt for Saturday night's match with Melbourne Rebels due to a calf strain.

With tighthead reserve Guy Shepherdson (lower back) sidelined, McKenzie will need first-choice hooker Saia Faingaa to shake off his ankle problem for him to move Albert Anae from number two to be a back-up prop.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, brisbane-4000

First posted March 04, 2012 19:54:59

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Harris in front for Cooper's Reds jumper

Updated February 13, 2012 12:48:58

The importance of clutch goalkicking in Super Rugby's torrid local derbies has put Queensland radar-boot Mike Harris's nose in front in the battle to replace Quade Cooper.

Harris's impressive three-for-three effort, including two from out wide, in the Reds' 27-20 trial win over the Brumbies has put the Kiwi recruit in pole position to wear the number 10 jersey in the opening February 25 clash with the New South Wales Waratahs.

The interstate grudge match is the first of three local derbies scheduled to start the Super Rugby champions' title defence and coach Ewen McKenzie expects they will be as tight as ever.

That, and the need to slot penalty goals, gives extra significance to Harris's kicking display in Cairns on Saturday night when fellow five-eighth contender Ben Lucas missed all three of his attempts.

McKenzie admitted it was difficult to get a gauge on their playmaking due to the stop-start nature of the four-tries-to-one win but praised Harris for both his goalkicking and restarts.

"He's brought some things to the table there," he said.

It was Harris's first match since he injured his left knee - forcing two bouts of surgery - last May against the Melbourne Rebels.

Before that, the tall 96kg North Harbour product had been talked up as a Wallabies bolter, eligible through an Australian-born grandmother, for his play outside the now-injured Cooper at number 12.

Harris, 23, showed through a desperate cover tackle on Brumbies winger Joe Tomane that he has lost no speed as his knee came through his return with no problems.

"It was nice to have the ball in the hands and being out there doing what I love to do," he said.

"For myself, I was pretty happy with my goalkicking.

"It certainly wins games. If teams are willing to give away penalties in your own half and you can get three points, it's a pretty easy way to get cheap points."

Harris rates the art 90 per cent mental and has worked closely with Reds sports psychologist Phil Fowler during the off-season, when he resumed kicking before running.

Three-quarter Aidan Toua's hamstring injury was the sour note for the Reds but McKenzie said Anthony Faingaa would return early from shoulder surgery to play at number 13 against the Western Force in Perth on Thursday night.

Fellow Wallabies centre Ben Tapuai, a first-minute try-scorer through a chargedown, was a stand-out at Barlow Park while Will Genia, Digby Ioane and James Horwill all made an impact in the second half.

"At crucial moments, they made things happen and that is what you want from those that have played at a national level," McKenzie said.

AAP

Tags: super-14, rugby-union, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted February 13, 2012 12:48:58

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Knee injury forces Harris out

Published:Tuesday, May 10, 2011 12:13 AESTExpires:Monday, August 8, 2011 12:13 AEST

Queensland centre Mike Harris could miss four weeks of the Super Rugby competition after succumbing to a knee injury.

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Tags: rugby-union, qld

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Reds' Harris out for up to a month

Posted May 9, 2011 18:50:00

Queensland revelation Mike Harris will be denied the chance to avenge his Blues snubbing due to knee surgery which will put him on the Super Rugby sidelines for up to a month.

Harris injured his kneecap in the Reds' 33-18 win over the Melbourne Rebels on the weekend and will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday.

In a blow for Queensland, Harris will miss Friday night's top-of-the-table clash with the front-running Blues, who overlooked the 22-year-old utility back for a place on their 2011 roster.

Harris was a member of Auckland-based franchise's wider training group last year through his time at North Harbour, after representing New Zealand schools and the New Zealand under 20s.

While he has lived all of his life across the Tasman, Harris is eligible for the Wallabies due to an Australian-born grandmother.

That lineage sparked Reds' coach Ewen McKenzie's interest in Harris and he has duly repaid the faith for Queensland, nailing down a starting spot at inside centre since round six.

Although McKenzie feared he would be without Harris for four weeks a quick recovery from surgery may ensure he only sits out clashes against the Blues and the Crusaders (May 29) as the Reds have a bye next weekend.

The kneecap cartilage injury is a sad result for the tall and skilful back as he was set for a positional showdown against the All Blacks' Luke McAllister, his playmaking partner at North Harbour.

McKenzie must now decide whether to slot specialist inside centre Ben Tapuai straight into number 12 or pick either Will Chambers or Wallaby Digby Ioane at outside centre and shift Anthony Faingaa closer to the action.

In better news for the Reds, winger Luke Morahan and full-back Ben Lucas have both overcome shoulder injuries and should start at Lang Park.

But reserve prop Greg Holmes remains in serious doubt due to an elbow infection which saw him become an eleventh hour scratching for last Friday's match in Melbourne.

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, qld, brisbane-4000

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