'One of the best defensive 13s in the world game just now': The transformation of Chris Harris from Scotland nobody to potential Lions starter
Chris Harris is surely a contender for the standout coming of age story in the Scotland ranks in recent times. For quite a long period his face didn’t fit with Gregor Townsend. First capped in November 2017, the initial 27 months of his Test career were dominated by fleeting cameos from the bench, eleven runs as a replacement in his initial 16 caps.
Now all has utterly changed. Since getting handed the No13 shirt for the February 2020 Guinness Six Nations win over Italy, the 30-year-old has been an ever-present at outside centre. That’s nine straight appearances in a row, with a tenth set to happen this Sunday against Ireland.
Only Ali Price and Scott Cummings, who are both set for their twelfth consecutive starts, boast a greater selection consistency in the XV to take on the Irish.
What gives? There was a time when the juggle between international and Gallagher Premiership rugby was too much of a challenge, the over and back across the border from Scotland to England taking a toll on his performances.
He told RugbyPass as much back in February 2019, a month that started with him scoring a Six Nations try off the bench in round one only to find himself not capped again until round five.
Scotland's golden oldie ?#SixNations #SCOvIRE https://t.co/cgcQEhvdIh
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 12, 2021
“If you asked me last year I would have said I was more under pressure, but I have adapted to it now,” he said about the on-off relationship he was having with Scotland while playing club rugby in England. “It’s just part of the rugby career. If 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. It’s just a matter of how you deal with it.”
Harris has since had a switch in clubs, moving to Gloucester after five years at Newcastle, and his impact this past year has been such that not only is he now a constant on Townsend’s Scotland team sheet but he is being touted as a potential Lions Test series starter later this year. That’s quite a transformation for someone who for quite a while was only a bit-part contributor at international level, essentially a nobody to Scottish fans and media.
Now though? “He is very consistent,” enthused Townsend when asked why Harris has become such a familiar face in the Scotland set-up. “You know you are going to get a lot of work rate out of Chris. He is an outstanding defender, one of the best defensive 13s in the world game just now.
“And he has worked hard on his attacking game. His running lines have improved a lot but also he has got more confidence in taking on the opposition with the ball in hand. We saw that in the last game against Wales when he had a couple of breaks out wide, so he is building an all-round game.
“He is one of our leaders defensively and he is a really good influence on those around him. It’s great he is available again this week. He played for his clubs last week. I thought he had a fantastic performance in their win against Wasps and it’s great he was fully fit for training this week.
“It has been a while since he was left out. He came off the bench at the start of the World Cup and the way he trained meant it was going to be difficult for us to leave him out. Since then he has worked hard to make sure that he doesn’t lose that opportunity and has played consistently well for us.
“I must say as well Huw Jones’ form this year has been excellent, so we feel with those two guys pushing really hard at 13 we have got a very good depth and different types of players as well.”
Scotland apparently never wanted to kick the French when they were down by demanding a Six Nations walk-over #SixNations #FRAvSCO
https://t.co/1Vqu07pGNt— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 12, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
2 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
2 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
10 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
10 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
10 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to comments