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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Wallabies greenhorns ready to front up

Updated October 15, 2011 17:23:35

Wallabies Pat McCabe and Sekope Kepu could be forgiven for blanching at the prospect of facing the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-finals having just nursed themselves back to health after a bruising encounter with the Springboks last weekend.

But inside centre McCabe and loosehead prop Kepu have only just established themselves in the Test team this season, and it would have taken more than a sore shoulder and rolled ankle respectively to keep them away from the biggest game of their careers.

With all the talk of the youth in the Welsh team which takes on France in the weekend's other semi-final, it has perhaps been forgotten that many of the Wallabies squad are in their early 20s and still relative novices in the Test arena.

Kepu, who was born in Australia but schooled in New Zealand, had played just three Tests for Australia as a replacement before he became an ever-present this season.

"For many of the boys, this is the biggest game of our careers, and we're really looking forward to it," the 25-year-old said.

"It can't get any bigger than this, we're just soaking up the atmosphere and clearing our minds and getting ready for it."

McCabe had played just once for his country before this year but, like Kepu, has been ever-present when fit as the Wallabies have charged to a first Tri Nations title since 2001 and the last four of the World Cup.

"It's a great challenge," he said of Sunday's match.

"More than anything it's an incredible opportunity to play against them on their home soil in a World Cup.

"It doesn't get a whole lot bigger."

Both players were part of the team that beat the All Blacks in Brisbane to clinch the Tri Nations and both face formidable opposition at Eden Park.

McCabe will be up against Ma'a Nonu, widely considered the world's most effective inside centre, and the 23-year-old is hoping for help from his team-mates to rein in the physical All Black.

"He's a big guy and he's obviously been in incredible form," McCabe said.

"In my mind he's probably the form player in the tournament. Not just me but the whole team has a big role in stopping him."

Kepu will pack down opposite Owen Franks as the Australian front row look to prove it is no longer the Wallabies' Achilles heel.

But the Australian pack still has the nightmare of being blown away by the Irish forwards during its shock pool phase defeat as a reminder of what will happen if it does not front up.

"Ireland was a wake-up call but I think we're progressing since," Kepu said.

"Last week against Springboks, I think we held our weight. But we've definitely got to step up this weekend because the All Blacks are definitely the pack to beat."

Australia managed to beat defending champion South Africa with virtually no possession last week - McCabe reckons he had three carries in the entire match - and Kepu said the pack realised that would have to change on Sunday.

"It'll be up to us in the engine room to provide that platform and the front-foot ball for our backs," Kepu said.

"We've just got to muscle up, and fire up, and turn up this weekend and everything else should look after itself."

Reuters

Tags: rugby-union-world-cup, rugby-union, sport, new-zealand, australia

First posted October 14, 2011 20:10:58

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Good news for Rebels on injury front

Posted April 23, 2011 15:27:00

Melbourne is confident key Rebels Stirling Mortlock and Mark Gerrard will be available for the crunch Super Rugby match against New South Wales next Saturday night.

The Waratahs dished up the Rebels' worst loss of their debut season, 43-0, in round one in Melbourne.

Since then the Rebels have won three games and proven competitive in most, but the New South Wales match marks the start of the toughest period in the side's short history.

Melbourne travels to Sydney then hosts the rampant Queensland Reds before two games in South Africa.

"Don't remind me," coach Rod Macqueen joked when asked about the looming contests.

The Rebels lost Mark Gerrard before their 40-23 loss to the Auckland Blues at North Harbour Stadium on Friday night after he injured his hamstring at their final training run.

Skipper Mortlock, who missed the previous round with a hip injury, left the playing field midway through the second half with back tightness.

But Melbourne was hopeful both would be available next weekend.

"We are confident that Stirling will be available for the Waratahs game," a club spokesman said on Saturday after the team returned to Melbourne.

"Mark Gerrard will be monitored during the week but we are hopeful that he will be right to play as well.

The late withdrawals of Mortlock and then Gerrard meant Melbourne has been unable to field its preferred centre combination in either of the past two games which Macqueen said was unsettling for the side.

Their defence was particularly disappointing early on, with mercurial five-eighth Danny Cipriani, defending in the centres, contributing to two early tries scored by the Blues when he rushed up out of the line.

But the Rebels fought back to within five points until two tries by the home side in the final 10 minutes.

"There was certainly some good things there and when we put it together we've got good shape and we're a much better side," Macqueen said.

"We're a good team with the ball, we've just got to be able to get it more often and keep our penalties down."

- AAP

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