Harry Wilson: 'It would break me if I'm not a part of it'

Harry Wilson looks back on a Brothers premiership and some brotherly love when he’s trying to explain how he kept the faith.

Exploding onto the Wallabies scene in 2020, the Queensland Reds No.8 was all the rage until he wasn’t.

Shunted back down the backrow pecking order despite his regular Super Rugby Pacific brilliance, there was no room for Wilson in the 2023 World Cup squad.

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So the 23-year-old went and won a Brisbane club premiership with older brother Will for Brothers, claiming player of the final honours for good measure.

A year later, despite breaking his arm late in the season, Wilson was captaining Australia to a one-point victory on a rainy Buenos Aires night against Argentina.

The side’s eighth captain in 15 Tests was immense, his try-saving tackle and solid fundamentals the lead-by-example football coach Joe Schmidt had asked for and enough to keep him in the job for the spring tour.

That campaign started with an after-the-siren defeat of England at a packed Twickenham that offered some hope ahead of a huge domestic Test season headed by the visiting British and Irish Lions.

The no-fuss Wilson finds it impossible not to return to that sunny afternoon at Ballymore for Brothers when he reflects on it all.

Harry Wilson. Harry Wilson doesn’t flinch if he’s running the ball back into a defensive line. (Masanori Udagawa/AAP PHOTOS)
“It was probably the most enjoyable footy I’ve played and winning that competition with Will is something I never thought I’d get to do,” Wilson told AAP.

“One of my best rugby memories … maybe along with beating England over there.”

Second-rower Will, three years Harry’s senior, was in third grade when his little brother was carving up first grade on his way to a Super Rugby debut.

They hadn’t played together since U7s, Will forcing his way into the top side for their 2023 title and then captaining Brothers to a title defence last year, hours after Harry had captained Australia in Argentina.

“When you’ve been out of the team for two years, everything goes through your head about whether you can get back there,” Harry said.

“But he’s been such a good influence on me because he doesn’t get paid, he’s there two nights a week training, gym the other three, just showing his commitment to rugby.

“He just does it because he loves it.

“You realise that life’s still pretty good, even if you aren’t getting picked in a few teams.

“I’ve got two older brothers and we’re so close. When I’m on tour they’re ringing me every second, third day, I’m ringing them.

“A lot of the times I’ll just vent to them and then they’ll offer a good bit of advice … they’ve helped me so much.”

The photo of the pair with the premiership cup takes pride of place in their parent’s house.

“Dad’s pretty fond of that one,” Will told AAP.

“That title was so special to us; it came at a time Harry could have easily just put his head down. Instead he came back to us and got stuck in.

“He’s had mixed messages, ups and downs. but he kept positive, was so passionate and never cracked the s****.

“And it all came together.”

Backrow buddy, longtime tour roommate and fellow Wallabies star Fraser McReight has had a front-row seat for Wilson’s rise, fall and rise again.

“The impostor syndrome, I suppose, like whether he was good enough,” McReight reflected of the internal battles his good mate had faced.

“Obviously he always was good enough for it, but him finding his feet as a player first was important for him, and then knowing that as a captain didn’t need to change anything.”

Harry Wilson. Harry Wilson has stayed true to himself since his ascension to Test captaincy. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)
Reds and Wallabies teammate Tate McDermott can relate.

He too has been in and out of the Test side, the halfback thrust into the captaincy in late 2023 but used predominantly off the bench last year.

“There’s been a couple of guys in the exact same boat,” McDermott told AAP.

“It’s always an interesting one where you juggle what your strengths are and what you can bring to your team, versus what people think you need to work on.

“We’ve had quite a few different coaches at the Wallabies level that will tell you different things.

“Some may see you in a different light to how others see you.

“It’s hard to get that juggling act right, but Harry’s done it brilliantly.

“Bang, straight into the hot seat, and there’s even more of an edge now to how he’s gone about his work.

“He’s always been incredibly skilful but just how tough he is, everyone is beginning to notice.”

There is a Super Rugby Pacific season to play out before Australia welcome the Lions, a tour that remains purposely out of mind for the likes of McDermott and Wilson.

“From my experiences in the past, the moment I got ahead of myself, I’ve shot myself in the foot,” he said.

“I honestly don’t want to think about it because it would break me if I’m not a part of it.”