Cross-Ditch defector: Mike Harris
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All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has criticised the Wallabies for poaching New Zealand talent and not doing enough to develop their own players.
Hansen fired a broadside at Australian rugby after Saturday's 18-18 Bledisloe Cup draw in Brisbane in which New Zealand-born centre Mike Harris kicked five penalties for Australia.
Hansen says he doesn't begrudge Harris' decision to sign for the Reds when he was rejected by New Zealand Super Rugby franchises nor his choice to later play for Australia but slammed Aussie administrators for allowing it to happen.
"I am pleased he [Harris] has achieved his dream ... what I find frustrating is that Australia is trying to build their game and put more franchises in place but all they are doing is putting franchises in place and stealing our players," said Hansen.
"They should get their own house in order and develop their own. There must be players there good enough.
"Australia has been a breeding ground for gun players for centuries."
Hansen did not mince his words when replying to a question claiming Harris' defection is a breakdown in New Zealand rugby's systems and is clearly annoyed by the Western Force recently signing ex-All Blacks scrum-half Alby Mathewson from the Blues and promising outside back Jason Woodward from Wellington.
"It's called Australia pinching our players. That's the system breakdown. How many you got going to the Force? It's time you actually develop your own players and your own coaches. (It'd) be good," said the All Blacks coach.
On Monday, 24-year-old Harris replied with wry smile and hinted at hypocrisy from the All Blacks, who have selected many Pacific Islanders over the years.
"I was a bit surprised by Steve's comments," Harris told NZ Newswire.
"It's been going on for as long as rugby has been professional, and maybe even further back as well."
Harris qualifies to play for the Wallabies through an Australian-born grandmother, and insists he has no regrets in wearing the gold jersey.
"As an aspiring rugby player you always want to be playing at the next level and if New Zealand had offered me a Super Rugby jersey things might have been different," he said.
Comments
davodiablo says...
Well said Trader2 !
Posted 17:38 22nd October 2012
OzinLondon says...
@ rorygilmore - "It is far easier to convert an oval ball sportsman like league & AFL players to rugby.... So in effect Australia has a huge pool of players in a similar sport that they can poach".
I think the point is that RL and AFL are (and always have been) more popular than RU in Oz so it isn't a matter of simply poaching, it is a matter of getting those players to change sports. Why would a kid who has watched and played AFL or RL all their life want to play rugby union? I had no interest in playing RL or AFL.
You don't have to admit it but the fact is that no other top tier RU nation (that I'm aware of) has such a large source of (rugby applicable) bodies/talent unavailable to it as a result of other sports. If RL and AFL did not exist then it is hard to argue that the boost to Aus rugby would (relatively) bigger than any other country. It would be formidable. I'm not sure you could say the same if all the wendyballers were suddenly available to play rugby.
Anyway, we are where we are. RL and AFL do exist. Aus rugby doesn't have as much depth and so if a talented player wants to play for Aus (or any other country) then they can do so and the coach of the World Champions (who has been content to poach when it suits his purpose in other jobs), should pull his head in.
@trader2 - I'm curious. Do you not think its a bit rich for a coach of the ABs (and one that was more than happy to take advantage of "poached" players when he was coaching Wales) to start harping on about poaching?
Posted 17:21 22nd October 2012
philipjfry says...
@golden_statenba: 'We all saw what happens when workers stand up for there rights at your mines.' Really, what happened? Go on, tell me.
Posted 17:20 22nd October 2012
jonesy2 says...
has steve been hanging with Pdivvy lately? this has PdV written all over it. all seriousness hansen is starting to make an arse of himself in the media more and more and becoming one of the most unlikable people in sport. he better hope he stays undefeated.
Posted 16:38 22nd October 2012
andy1000 says...
He's managed to make himself look like a muppet when there's actually a valid point hidden in there. There's no way Australia should have 5 super teams as they don't have the playing numbers and therefore they have to import (even the aussie press agree with that). However that's very different to the poaching of international players.
Posted 16:04 22nd October 2012
Trader2 says...
I knew this story would bring out the trolls; however the biggest one would have to be Greg Clarke of the Fox Rugby commentary team. When asked his reaction to Hansen¿s comments he laughed and said something like ¿well NZ have been doing it for years, just looking at their team sheet in front of me we have Mealamu a Samoan, Victor Vito, Ma'a Nonu , Samoan etc etc¿
What a complete pratt so now we have the Oz press perpetrating the myth. Grow up and get with it Clarkey.
Fact
Mealamu - born in Tokaroa, NZ
Victor Vito - born in Wellington NZ
Ma'a Nonu ¿ born in Wellington NZ
How can you expect the average troll to get it right when the so called experts will deliberately lie and distort the facts to fuel the story? What a joke.
Posted 15:09 22nd October 2012
Ferdie says...
Hansen speaking out of place here imol matter slike this are for NZRU and OIRB re eligibility and he does his credibility no good. Players like Harris (and Waldrom fro England) appear to be the worst kind of mercenary players but they are within the eligibility criteria, good on them for taking advantage of that.
But - - Australia are looking shabby in their recruiting practices - take Henry Speight - paid by ARU to make himself unavailable for Fiji in 2011 RWC - it is part of his contract - on basis he will get a Qantas Wallabies spot in June 2013 when his 3yrs residency is up. The worst example I can think of.
shsvs, noodles and co
re' history of players from Pacific Islands' etc
try this for facts rather than your redneck rhetoric: http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/bornoverseas.ASP?stats_ID=8
you'll see that in the 128 years of All Black rugby a total of 13 Samoan-born players have represented NZ. Challenge you to name ONE that was actively recruited by an NZ union in Samoa - as Samoa was previously an NZ territory their citizens had right of entry and moved/settled to NZ.
and as for Noodles - get your facts - Tana Umaga, Wainuiomata's favourite son, he is Wellington born, schooled, etc as were the rest of his family. Muliaina was 10mths old when his parents moved to NZ - early talent spot from NZRU. Jerry Collins was a late starter, he moved here at 3 yrs old. Hardly 'plillaged fromn the islands' you pillock!
Posted 14:28 22nd October 2012
DaveJ says...
That's rich coming from a country that poaches all of the talent on the pacific islands. Ridiculous comments from Hansen and smacks of a sore loser.
Posted 14:23 22nd October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Sorry I can't type while laughing so much................cheese with that whine ...is that the best he could come up with ???
Is he trying to sell a book ? this seems to be a norm with Kiwis and stupid outbursts, when selling their books !!!!
Posted 12:52 22nd October 2012
shsvs says...
Hansen whining isn't a surprise, he had the best mentor for that: Henry...
Seriously with the history (past and recent) of NZ players coming from the Pacific islands he'd better keep a low profile on this matter.
Posted 12:21 22nd October 2012
APV1 says...
I've just read back my comment and want to apologise if I've given the impression that the terrible earthquake should be classed in the same way as sponsorship. My poorly-written point was that NZ have enough to contend with, without looking elsewhere and blaming others. His comments are a little bizarre and, I think, focusing on the wrong things.
Posted 12:21 22nd October 2012
Pearcewreck says...
How embarrassing.
Well, it really has been a bad week for the poor dear Kiwis, their precious jersey gets ruined by a grubby sponsor, the 7's lose to Fiji, they All Blacks stumble to try less draw against the Wallabies and now poor little Steve has a dummy spit. Oh, Boo hoo hoo.
Anyway, every major country picks up players and coaches from other countries. Professionalism means players are more likely to leave "home " and head OS.
Get used to it everyone, not just Kiwis. Every country will continue to "lose" players OS.
Posted 12:18 22nd October 2012
kybone says...
What! Australia stealing players! I was lead to believe that only England did that! jamesliveinhope- Not just that mate, but he was the head coach of Wales when they drafted in Brent Cockbain and Sonny Parker.
The simple fact is that people move abroad, and some of them become professional rugby players. Its then up to the player which nation he wants to represent. I prefer to see home grown players but there you go.
As for Steve Hansen, he has moaned about one thing or another after nearly every game NZ have played since he took charge though Its one thing to make a point when you win, it just comes across as bad sportsmanship when you don't.
Posted 11:57 22nd October 2012
luv2h8 says...
Because three of NZ's best backrowers in history were not polynesian were they in Kaino, So'oialo and Collins. Of course Roko and Sivi weren't either.
Posted 11:45 22nd October 2012
luv2h8 says...
Because neither so'oialo, kaino nor collins were not kiwi were they.
Posted 11:43 22nd October 2012
golden_statenba says...
Lol @Bokavenger
You don't have rights for workers either do you.
We all saw what happens when workers stand up for there rights at your mines.
I also find it interesting you never comment on the south african forum only the NZ/Australian one. Nothing interesting on that one maybe?
Posted 11:41 22nd October 2012
rorygilmore says...
Hansen is a pot calling the kettle black, but Australia's problem is in not appreciating the finer points of Rugby Union. ie the tactical complexity of a game with lineouts and scrums. Aussie players, fans and administrators moan about the need for more running tries. Well that happens at school & club level, not at professional level. Comparing Union to League & AFL is like comparing Chess to Draughts. This complexity scares most Australian players who are fed a never ending diet of League and AFL. Australia's approach to rugby needs to change.... not the rest of the world's rugby. But....they are still no 2! Sadly! :)
Posted 11:34 22nd October 2012
Melkiwi says...
@noodle he's referring to players developed in nz not players born in nz. Player like tana (who is nz born), Jerry, mills etc all went through the nz rugby system from a young again and it was nz who spent that money developing them and should have the right to pick them after years of development.
@Bokavenger there are already enough average bok super rugby teams we didn't need any more
Posted 11:33 22nd October 2012
chisel68 says...
Steve Hansen - you are starting to prove yourself as a first class muppet! Sour grapes mate, sour grapes.
I hope he continues to say stoopid things like that as it will only fire up the Wallabies. If only our 1st XV had played them on the weekend rather than our 2nd/3rd XV.....of our 4th most popular sport.
I wonder how NZ would have coped with the injuries Oz have had and how much whining we all would have heard, particularly from prat Hansen.
Posted 11:30 22nd October 2012
rorygilmore says...
@ munsterNtahs, who says rugby is perhaps the 4/5th most popular sport, well down the pecking order behind AFL, league, football, cricket. I'm a bit tired of hearing this excuse from Aussies. The only (major playing) country on the planet in which Rugby is the number one sport is NZ. South Africa and all of Europe and South America is dominated by soccer. Cricket, being a summer sport is not a comparison. It is far easier to convert an oval ball sportsman like league & AFL players to rugby.... all of the ball and tackling skills are transferable with only minor changes. So in effect Australia has a huge pool of players in a similar sport that they can poach.
Posted 11:30 22nd October 2012