Harris: Ready for All Blacks
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Australia's New Zealand-born full-back Mike Harris is hoping home ground advantage helps break the All Blacks' impressive winning streak.
The Wallabies' trans-Tasman rivals have already secured the Bledisloe Cup - as well as the World Cup and Rugby Championship crowns - during a 16-Test victory run.
The Brisbane clash is a dead rubber in the annual Bledisloe Cup tussle between the rivals, with the All Blacks winning the opening two games, but Saturday's match is seen as an important Test for coach Robbie Deans and his troubled side.
Australia finished second in the recent Rugby Championship tournament, ahead of Argentina and South Africa but lagging New Zealand after a humiliating 22-0 defeat in their second meeting.
Deans has presided over just three victories from 17 games against the ascendant All Blacks in the past four years and scrutiny has mounted during an inconsistent 2012 campaign marred by injuries to several key players.
"We've had a pretty good record against them at Suncorp, they've shown everyone that they're the best team in the world," said the versatile Harris.
"They've locked up the Bledisloe and locked up the Rugby Championship so in that sort of sense there's not to much to lose and everything to gain."
Harris will retain goal-kicking duties after impressing in Argentina, and is excited by the prospect of playing his first Test against the nation of his birth at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
"Every Test is obviously massive but in terms of the All Blacks, they're the best in the world and I guess you always want to test yourself against the best so it's definitely one you look forward to," said the Reds utility back.
"There's no better way to have your first Test against the All Blacks than on your home ground."
Harris, who has played fly-half, inside centre and now the unfamiliar role of full-back in his five-cap career, is under no illusions of the challenge keeping the likes of Dan Carter and rival fifteen Israel Dagg at bay.
"Luckily Dan's been in the All Blacks jersey a long time so I've been able to watch him and know where he likes to kick it. That definitely helps in terms of my positioning," he said.
"Dagg was earmarked at a young age, he was a phenomenal athlete and a great talent right from schoolboy level," added Harris.
"He was always destined for bigger and better things and he's been outstanding."
Comments
Kiwikev says...
@ ArmchairGeneral
No Kiwi ever needs false motivation to want to thrash Oz under any circumstances; hayj05 has given you the litany of special reasons for the AB to be up for this test but the truth is simply pulling on the black jersey is all the motivation that they will need...
Posted 15:35 17th October 2012
tha_mai says...
good luck to Mike Harris. Just like some NZ players who do better in Euro competitions than they ever did in NZ, he's done well in crossing the Tasman.
Trinats2 in your ongoing ignorance, and this has been mentioned before on this forum, until 1962 (celebrated 50th anniversary in June this year) Samoa was a NZ territory before independence - hence an explanation for the close relationship between the two countries and the population.
You are sounding very stereotypical redneck with your criticisms of people being not allowed to recognise their cultural heritage. Wrong colour for you i suppose?
Posted 14:27 17th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Tricheat is back talking his usual crap, must be a AB v Wannabie game coming up?
Posted 13:58 17th October 2012
Ferdie says...
AGeneral - can't be avoided, there will be a three-test series again in 2013, what is does avoid if the situation we have had previously of each side winning their home game, and the Bledisloe Cup not changing hands as it is decided on wins, no countback on tries or points differential etc over the two matches. If the holder won the first match, second one was effectively as meaningless as this one could be seen to be by some people. It is not a Bledisloe decider, but still an international test match.
Happens in any competition I suppose - many a 6 Nations match is equally 'not exciting' as you say, as they have no impact on the winner of the tournament.
Posted 13:03 17th October 2012
Houston_11 says...
Is the Bledisloe decided on number of match victories (i.e. ABs 2-0) or by aggregate score?
Posted 12:56 17th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
hayj05:
Yes Aussie Mike.
"We've" "they've" "There's no better way to have your first Test against the All Blacks than on your home ground."
I think you'll find he's an Aussie now (like millions of Kiwis dream). What about most of the All blacks " we keep in with our Samoan heritage" or was they just SBW (Samoan Sports Association Junior Sportsman of the Year!!!!)
Posted 12:16 17th October 2012
startledwombat says...
@Armchairgeneral
I followed what you were saying until the bit about which team plays who.
Australia are already fielding their B team. At Suncorp. This Saturday. No joke.
Seriously, there's been a lot of talk about this very predicament already.
Posted 12:07 17th October 2012
northandsouth says...
ArmchairGeneral - NZ and Oz both got sick of years of two test series which the Tri Nations and now Rugby Championship throws out, which made it really hard to win the Bledisloe Cup off an incumbent. This 'third' test makes it a balanced series - it just seems pointless retrospectively given we now know the series is dead. Also, another Bledisloe test makes massive amounts more money than a non-test, tour match and both unions are forced by the realities of global rugby to live beyond their means and are desperate for the cash.
Posted 11:47 17th October 2012
rugby_phile says...
@ArmchairGeneral. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$s
Posted 11:17 17th October 2012
hayj05 says...
@ArmchairGeneral - It was meant to be the deciding Bledisloe cup test.... But of course the AB's already have a 2 - 0 advantage.
Personally I don't think it will be boring at all as both teams have a lot to play for.
Trans-tasman rivalry, potential to make the Wallabies injury-ravaged season a success, Nathan Sharpe's last game on Australian soil, the AB's chance to equal the record tier 1 winning streak, Mealamu's 100th test, Steve Hansen's father's death (who was known by many of the AB's players & was the coaching mentor his son & Aussie McClean). Need more convincing?
"We've had a pretty good record against them at Suncorp." Sorry Aussie Mike but I'm pretty sure the AB's are 3 from 4 at Suncorp.... or were you talking about your homeland? hmmmm...
Posted 11:13 17th October 2012
kahui says...
Mike Harris dont lie. No one coud be proud 2 pull on that pathetic yellow jersey
Posted 10:58 17th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
ArmchairGeneral:
You're a POM ?
Posted 10:37 17th October 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
I don't get the need for this test. If its preparation for November why not fly out earlier and play a best of non Heineken cup club: eg Gloucester. Or stay home and play the ABs play ABs B team Oz play Oz B team. Another Bledisloe is not exciting.
Posted 10:29 17th October 2012