News
February 22, 2012
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Harris to play at ten for the champions
By SANZAR News Service
Reds playmaker Mike Harris will take the reigns at flyhalf on Saturday night when the Reds meet fierce rivals the NSW Waratahs in round one of the 2012 Super Rugby competition.
The announcement was made at the sold-out Reds Business Breakfast earlier this morning with the selection of the goal-kicking ace at flyhalf breaking Quade Cooper’s recent mortgage on the number 10 jersey.
Harris enjoyed a magical debut season with the Reds in 2011, winning the team’s Rookie of the Year honour for his efforts in the Reds drought-breaking Super Rugby championship success.
He continued that form throughout the Reds two preseason trial victories - against the Brumbies (27-20) and Western Force (40-10) – and enters Saturday’s clash against the Waratahs with a 96% goal-kicking strike-rate for the Reds with a preseason sideline conversion against the Brumbies earlier this year his only miss in 24 attempts.
“It’s a great opportunity but I’ve just been asked to go out there and play my own game to give the team the best chance to win,” Harris said.
Harris made his Queensland and Super Rugby debut from the bench in the Reds hefty round two 30-6 loss against the Waratahs in Sydney in 2011 before featuring heavily at inside centre in the Reds 19-15 Templeton Cup success later in the year at Suncorp Stadium.
“It was a proud moment making my debut for Queensland but from a team perspective it was arguably our most forgettable moment of 2011,” he said.
“We’ve now got the chance to rectify the wrongs from that night.”
Coach Ewen McKenzie said Harris had earned the right to wear the number 10 jersey but insisted he was more focused on the team’s collective efforts as they endeavour to break a nine-year drought against the Waratahs in Sydney.
The Reds last triumphed against the Waratahs in Sydney in 2003, a 35-23 success, while of the eight matches played between the two teams south of the border they have each tasted success on four occasions.
“There has been a focus from the outside world on who will replace Quade but the reality is we have been more interested in finding the best player to articulate and deliver the game we want to play in 2012,” McKenzie said.
“We were thoroughly disappointed with how we performed in Sydney last year and now the players have a chance to go out and erase that memory.”
The St.George Queensland Reds will announce their lineup to play the NSW Waratahs tomorrow.
With three days to go until the start of the season, the Reds have over 27,000 members on board for 2012 with the number expected to break the 35,000 mark during the season.
Full season memberships are a cheaper alternative to individual match tickets and start at just $65, which includes a special edition members-only DVD of the 2011 Super Rugby Final, which is unavailable for retail purchase and contains never-before seen footage, and a 126-page 2012 season guide.
Full 2012 membership information can be found here - http://www.redsrugby.com.au/MembershipHospitality/2012Memberships.aspx.
For kids who want to emulate their favourite Reds players, Queensland Rugby has launched a new juniors program Rookies2Reds. Visit www.rookies2reds.com.au for more information.