Brumbies coach no 'queue jumper'

Updated December 11, 2012 21:15:13

Brumbies coach Jake White says he has no ambitions to either take the Wallabies coaching role from Robbie Deans or leapfrog any queue for the role.

White was last week quoted as saying it would be a "dream job" to coach the Wallabies.

However the Springboks' 2007 World Cup winning coach set the record straight on Tuesday, saying he did not want to oust Deans and making it plain he was not trying to push himself ahead of heir apparent Ewen McKenzie.

"To be fair it was a bit of a difficult (question) to put to me because I coach a franchise in Australia where all players are basically eligible to play for their country," said South African White.

"But I have no ambitions of taking Robbie Deans' job or jumping in front of the queue in front of everybody.

"I have a job to do (with the Brumbies) and if that means that you get earmarked for greater things then that is fantastic."

Entering the final season of his contract, Deans has been under the pump since the Wallabies bowed out of their 2011 World Cup semi-final, with critics including former Test great David Campese lamenting their often dour play and highlighting losses to Scotland, Samoa, Ireland and a French thumping over the past 18 months.

White is entering his second season with the Brumbies, having turned them around to go within a whisker of the finals last season.

The man with runs on the board in Australia is Queensland Reds director of coaching McKenzie, who led the franchise to the Super Rugby title in 2011 and previously took the NSW Waratahs to two finals.

However White said as a fellow coach of an Australian rugby franchise it would be wrong for him not to show interest in coaching the Wallabies.

"If I coach in a country like (Australia) you've got to buy into the fact that you're in this country and you're doing it hammer and tongs. So it would be a great honour," he said.

"Any guy who is in coaching who says he wouldn't want to coach one of the best sides in the world is dreaming.

"So it is obviously something like that I would look at, but at this point in time I'm with the Brumbies and my job is to make sure I produce Wallabies."

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-rugby, canberra-2600, act, australia

First posted December 11, 2012 18:09:40

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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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