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'I wasn't aware. I knew there was something going on'
Ask Chris Harris for a reaction to fellow centre Huw Jones being ruled of the rest of Scotland’s Six Nations campaign and it’s breaking news to him.
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He’d been training with Newcastle on Thursday morning ahead of Saturday’s Premiership trip to Bath and didn’t know the Scottish Rugby Union revealed in a lunchtime press release that the Glasgow midfielder had sustained knee ligament damage in the defeat to Ireland and would miss the remaining fixtures against France, Wales and England.
A try-scorer off the bench in the opening round win over Italy, Harris was deemed surplus to requirement against the Irish. Sean Maitland’s return to the starting line-up meant Blair Kinghorn, the hat-trick scorer versus the Azzurri who lost his spot, would take the No23 shirt from Harris.
However, with Jones now joining full-back Stuart Hogg in casualty ahead of Saturday week’s third round match against France and Kinghorn set to potentially step in at No15, the chances of Harris winning his eighth Test cap in Paris have hugely risen.
“I wasn’t aware (Jones was ruled out),” said Harris on Thursday afternoon. “I knew there was something going on. I knew he picked up a knock of some sorts, but I wasn’t aware of the situation. It’s not for me to think about it too much to be honest.
SQUAD UPDATE | Centre Huw Jones is expected to miss the remainder of Guinness Six Nations with a knee injury, while full-back Stuart Hogg remains in the joint care of the Glasgow Warriors & Scotland medical teams.
?? https://t.co/QDjPOaYx1X pic.twitter.com/9TZZKTncLz
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 14, 2019
“There is always the opportunity there. It’s not just an opportunity for me, but for the other boys in there that are competing for that jersey. But ultimately you have got to go and perform at the weekend for your club to put you hand up and that is what I’m wanting to do. I just need need to concentrate on this weekend.”
The 28-year-old debuted off the bench in November 2017 against Samoa. He then quickly got his first start, chosen at centre alongside Jones for last year’s Six Nations opening day defeat away to Wales.
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Harris admits he didn’t cope as well as he possibly could have when initially juggling international and club commitments, but he now feels he is more robust and better able to handle the pressures involved.
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“If you asked me last year I would have said I was more under pressure, but I have adapted to it now. It’s just part of the rugby career. It you’re part of international duty that is just the way it is. I have developed a lot since this time last year. I’m pretty comfortable in dealing with the situation.
“It was just the change of environment, the disappointment of not being selected for Scotland – which is still the case – but it’s just dealing with it better now.
“If you come back into the club and you’re still a bit down not being involved with Scotland, you have got to go and in a performance for Newcastle. It’s just a matter how you deal with it,” said Harris who returned to Newcastle on the Tuesday night before the Ireland match and featured in the club’s Premiership Cup defeat to Northampton on the same day as the Murrayfield Test.
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With no Six Nations this weekend, how are you set for your rugby fix? Look no further than the Rec as @bathrugby take on @FalconsRugby on Saturday.
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— Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) February 13, 2019
A greater presence in attack is what Scotland coach Gregor Townsend is looking for from Harris. “Just a consistency thing. Just get my hands in the ball a bit more. Look at my attacking side of things. The defence side kind of looks after itself. Just getting my hands on the ball a bit more. That is what I did and I managed to score a try (against Italy).
“It was just running a supporting line. Josh Strauss just popped it to me. He probably could have scored himself, but he just popped it to me. It was a pretty incredible feeling to dot down.
“I just want to play as much as I can. I have played one of the two (Six Nations games) so far and if I can keep picking up appearances that would be grand.
“But I have just got to play well and be a bit more consistent. I’ll just concentrate on that and the rest will look after itself.
“I’m always looking to improve. There is always room for improvement in my game and I try to do that as much as possible. I am very happy with where I am. I think I have played well the last couple of game. I have just got to keep that consistency and keep improving.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments