Harris: We'll be up for it
Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:02
Up for the challenge: Stormers prop Brok Harris - Pic: Doug Fitz-Gerald
One of the big success stories of the Western Province and Stormers' forward transformation in recent years has been 25-year-old tighthead prop Brok Harris.
The forwards, and the tight five especially, were written off derisively as 'softies' and 'butterflies' and even as 'the light five' not all that long ago, but that perception has changed, with new-found respect for the Stormers' scrummaging, line-outs, overall physicality and most particularly, their driving, rolling maul.
Key to this has been 1.83m, 116kg Juan Harris, better known as Brok.
Talking to rugby365.com after Stormers' training at their Bellville High Performance Centre on Wednesday, Harris said he was looking forward to playing against the Hurricanes' front row of All Black internationals, loosehead John Schwalger (two Test caps), hooker Andrew Hore (47 Test caps) and Neemia Tialata (41 Test caps).
In fact, the Hurricanes announced later on Wednesday that Jacob Ellison would start at loosehead ahead of Schwalger, with the latter on the bench, but that makes the Hurricanes' front row no less formidable.
"We'll be up for it. We just have to back our systems," said Harris.
Asked if there was room for improvement in the Stormers' scrummaging, Harris said: "There is always room for improvement with timing and rhythm and coordination. And when the reserves come on we have to keep the same mental edge. Up to now it's gone well, but we still try to improve every week and we have the mental challenge to be up for it every week."
Coach Allister Coetzee said on Wednesday that Harris had played consistently well at tighthead throughout the season, forming an impressive front row along with Tiaan Liebenberg and Wicus Blaauw.
"A couple of years ago these guys were written off as butterflies and similar names and it's good that they realise that the only place they can change stereotypes is by proving it on the field of play. It's good that people [now] recognise our tight five as doing the hard work first," said Coetzee.
On his direct opponents this year, Harris said every match provided a new challenge.
"Benn Robinson is more of a small loosehead and he and [Tatafu] Polota-Nau get under you quicker. I think Robinson is a very good loosehead; he and Polota-Nau have got good technique.
"The Highlanders were also really good, with Jamie Mackintosh at loosehead. But he should have been penalised a few times for not binding. Because he is tall, it was to my advantage to go lower and force him to get his bind.
"I enjoy testing myself against opponents like this."
Harris said he was satisfied with the progress he had made. Since he had joined Western Province in 2006 (and made his Stormers' debut in 2007), they had grown and gained in experience. He was very happy with the set-up and with the camaraderie of the pack as a group. The team's physicality, scrummaging, mauling and defence were excellent and they had been working hard on their attack.
He believed the team was reaching a good balance between attack, defence, scrums, line-outs, mauling and other aspects of the game.
Looking ahead to the game this weekend, Harris said that while the Highlanders had focused their scrummaging on the loosehead side, he expected the Hurricanes to attack the tighthead side - the pressure this week would be on him rather than on Wicus Blaauw.
On comparison betweeen the Australians' approach to scrummaging and that of the New Zealanders, he said the Aussies tended not to 'fight' for long after the hit, while the New Zealanders also hit quickly but were more likely to scrummage for an extra few seconds. The Aussies didn't enjoy the 'fight' - they wanted to get the ball in and out and carry on with the game as quickly as posible.
Harris described the Stormers' driving maul, at times this season carrying
on for 20 to 30 metres downfield, as great.
"You know you're starting to tire the opposition. It puts us on a high and makes the opponents start doubting themselves and feel frustrated when we maul them 30 metres and score tries. It's a positive and we must carry on with it."
After injury problems previously in his career, he commented: "I'm grateful for being injury-free and fit and able to play for 80 minutes."
On his pass which gifted an interception try for George Smith in the Stormers' 17-19 loss to the Brumbies, a humble Harris said: "I took the wrong option. At that moment I thought it was the right option but afterwards when I watched the video I saw it wasn't the right option. I take it on the chin. It's not nice but I've learnt a lesson. I've bumped my head but it's behind me now. This competition is too short to worry about one silly pass."
By Len Kaplan
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