Cross-Ditch defector: Mike Harris
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All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has criticised the Wallabies for poaching New Zealand talent and not doing enough to develop their own players.
Hansen fired a broadside at Australian rugby after Saturday's 18-18 Bledisloe Cup draw in Brisbane in which New Zealand-born centre Mike Harris kicked five penalties for Australia.
Hansen says he doesn't begrudge Harris' decision to sign for the Reds when he was rejected by New Zealand Super Rugby franchises nor his choice to later play for Australia but slammed Aussie administrators for allowing it to happen.
"I am pleased he [Harris] has achieved his dream ... what I find frustrating is that Australia is trying to build their game and put more franchises in place but all they are doing is putting franchises in place and stealing our players," said Hansen.
"They should get their own house in order and develop their own. There must be players there good enough.
"Australia has been a breeding ground for gun players for centuries."
Hansen did not mince his words when replying to a question claiming Harris' defection is a breakdown in New Zealand rugby's systems and is clearly annoyed by the Western Force recently signing ex-All Blacks scrum-half Alby Mathewson from the Blues and promising outside back Jason Woodward from Wellington.
"It's called Australia pinching our players. That's the system breakdown. How many you got going to the Force? It's time you actually develop your own players and your own coaches. (It'd) be good," said the All Blacks coach.
On Monday, 24-year-old Harris replied with wry smile and hinted at hypocrisy from the All Blacks, who have selected many Pacific Islanders over the years.
"I was a bit surprised by Steve's comments," Harris told NZ Newswire.
"It's been going on for as long as rugby has been professional, and maybe even further back as well."
Harris qualifies to play for the Wallabies through an Australian-born grandmother, and insists he has no regrets in wearing the gold jersey.
"As an aspiring rugby player you always want to be playing at the next level and if New Zealand had offered me a Super Rugby jersey things might have been different," he said.
Comments
ruckingkiwi says...
They should cut it to parents only, no grandparent link.
And once you represent a country at any level then you're tied to that country.
In regards to immigration, it should be the same as you were an everyday citizen, you should have to qualify to carry that countries' passport.. that would rule out Quade Cooper and a few others. Fair play to have him but make him a citizen.
Posted 08:36 01st November 2012
GoWalesGo says...
Harris is Australian qualified and that's good enough for me, just like Maitland is Scottish qualified.
I don't agree with the "play for the system you came through" statement. You should be able to play for who you qualify for by blood, residency is where it all goes about nuts though imo.
I'm half Scottish and Welsh, i'd be proud to represent either of them... if i was good enough :)
Posted 11:39 24th October 2012
KoolJay says...
The arguments and statistics are incredible and true,makes me marvel at how 3 little group of Islands in the Pacific Ocean can be so influential in the sphere of our Great Game.Yes they were born in NZ,Aus etc,they choose to play for X country and yes they have evolved into amazing players under the guidance of the big nations.The fact remains they have Pacific Origins and that makes them special. They were born to be a bit slicker, faster and give bone crunching tackles like there was no tomorrow than most.Sounds familiar? yes! That is rugby! and why they fit perfectly into the Great Game.All these countries taught them was a bit more knowledge and the technicalities. Along the years there is the unmistakable portrait of who they are first and foremost, Islanders.Commentators and writers alike always depict them as Samoan,Tongan or Fijian born or ancestry somewhere in their commentary or literature.Funny how Kiwis and Aussies analyse and throw statistics into the bowl about preference of choice and birthplace.It does not compensate for the raw talents that men from these small islands have brought to their shores and their game.How they love to run with the ball,the ease at which they pass,the ferocity of their tackles,how they enjoy rugby like it is still a game that entertains and not a playground of boredom,bitterness,animosity and politics.Hence the 9-3 try less games which is making rugby less attractive and boring to watch.Being called an All Black or Wallaby did not make them legendary it simply unleashes their talents and put them into the limelight.It is common knowledge in the Islands when someone moves overseas for education,playing contracts or emigrates there's always a farewell knowledge that talent lost to them is NZ and Australia's gain.As for me I say we acknowledge,enjoy and be grateful to such colour's they bring and paint into our Wonderful Game.
Posted 14:54 23rd October 2012
paulynz says...
Kiwis are sore losers?
So it's true. Australia DID win 18-18.
Posted 10:33 23rd October 2012
Trader2 says...
This story has taken the predictable path with the ignorant jumping on NZ for always taken PI players that is a load of BS as clearly expoused here by some posters who have presented some hard indisputable facts unlike the latest I have just seen @vitieddie, what a complete numnut, has not got a clue what he is talking about and presents no evidence. Anyway enough of idiots and most of them seem to be from the NH who have no actual historical knowledge of the PI migration around our area. Pacific Islanders have been moving to NZ since the 1950's and this increased in the 60's and 70's. Australia were a little slower to allow this type of immigration so that is why many of Aussies PI's were born in the islands. As a Kiwi I would like to pretend that we were ahead of the Australia in opening up the doors but sadly NZ's motive was not driven by generosity and conservative governments (under PM Holyoake) were happy to allow immigration as a source of cheap labour at that time. Australia had policies in place that did not allow wholesale immigration. So in NZ there is now a large population of 1st 2nd and 3rd generation New Zealanders of Pacific Island background and every generation quite rightly remains very proud of that. Hopefully all New Zealanders have now benefited from this migration with a great mix of cultures and customs. NZ rugby has certainly benefited with some great AB's over the last 40 years is that NZ fault, please guys, get a grip. NZ have not and do not poach PI players who then play for the AB's, now I know this may be difficult for some people to understand but please before making stupid comments, do some research, get edcucated. Here is an idea you could use Google, you know G-O-O-G-L-E.
Posted 09:04 23rd October 2012
Trader2 says...
@Ozinlondon, well I am not sure that I would have approached it in the same way as Hansen but he is known to call a spade a shovel from time to time. I guess I would look at it this way, if you are managing a business unit for your employer you will do your best to recruit the best and you will do your best to retain the high flyers you have. You will also try and keep the up and coming but as yet unproven ones coming through. As many are saying this is a cut throat professional business and Hansen is doing nothing more than managing his unit, as I did once and as I suspect you are. After all any managers performance is only as good as the staff he surrounds himself with.
I think it is as simple as that really, I cannot comment on the Wales situation when he was there but I guess if the powers to be provided him with top players and told him they were Welsh well for the reasons above he would take advantage of them. I don¿t say I agree with poaching but, coach will make the best of what he has got. It¿s the coaches job to win matches if the national Union is in the business of ¿ poaching ¿ then so be it.
Posted 07:37 23rd October 2012
rugbyspook88 says...
As quoted in the NZ herald for those interested in the facts:
"Of the more than 1100 players to turn out in the black jersey, 78 were born overseas, according to the respected New Zealand Rugby Museum website. Of those, 13 were born in Samoa, eight in Fiji and seven in Tonga. Two, including Jerome Kaino, were born in American Samoa. The majority of the 30 born in the islands came to New Zealand as children."
"Of the 30 players in the Samoa squad for last year's World Cup, 17 were born in New Zealand. "
Posted 07:14 23rd October 2012
vitieddie says...
@rorygilmore ... your argument is not valid ... I don't see all players that play the different codes being successful ... for e.g Israel Falou - he is still finding his way in AFL ... the fact is that RU is third or fourth in the pecking order here in Aus ... there is less incentive to play RU ... and there is less player depth ... NZ fans try to play the underdog card and say things like "look at the HUGE population of Aus" ... goodness give me a break - NZ will always have a bigger player pool (coaches, etc) ...
As for the "born in NZ" argument ... that is a valid point ... in recent times there have been less players that have grown up (and sometimes played for one country) and suddenly turning up in an AB jumper (joe vidiri, steve devine, etc) ... that does not mean it has not happened in the past ... and it is not like PI players are just joining a queue to play for the ABs ... NZ does deliberatly entice/lure players from the islands e.g. send scouts etc to sign up players especially those in high school on sports scholarships ...
In the end it is up to the player who he wishes to play for but lets stop trying to portray Aus as the big brother and NZ as the tiny underdog ... its definitely the other way round
Posted 06:49 23rd October 2012
runnrugby says...
@2EyedKiwi
Haha exactly. Hansen is and has always been a bit of a stirrer and a lot of you have taken the bait. He had a go at his old mate Robbie Deans earlier this year but Robbie didnt bite cause he knows his old buddy too well lol
Posted 06:34 23rd October 2012
bigb6969 says...
The New Zealand starting XV this whole year has been 100% NZ born players. Only a single man of the 26 All Blacks who have played this year was not born in NZ, Ben Franks was born in Australia. New Zealand RFU has never gone out to poach PI nations. Only a handful of PI players have come to NZ specifically to play rugby, and I would say only Joeli Vendiri became an All Black, and he never played in a RWC.
The comments of shsvs , heathy, pinky munsterNtahs, Noodle make me laugh, the usual drivel. The logical conclusion of your disgust is NZ should not select a player if they have Pacific Islander blood ? South Africa had a policy very similar sounding selection policy for number of years. It matters not a jot that they are NZ citizens, born in NZ for the most part, or came over very very young. So can you guys please specify the list of ethnicity's that should not qualify to play for New Zealand?
BokAvenger - your comment above NZders going over the Australia just to go on the dole is ill founded (bigoted ?). The Statistics Australia have always recorded NZ citizens earn a higher average income than the average Australian in Australia and in a number of other areas. Found this in a fact sheet on the Department of Citizenship and immagration, "New Zealand citizens have a high labour-force participation rate (78.2 per cent at July 2012) compared with those born in Australia (68.0 per cent). At July 2012, people born in New Zealand had an unemployment rate of 4.8 per cent, compared to 4.9 per cent for people born in Australia"
Last I knew it was a 2 years stand down before a New Zealander could get the dole, but it may have changed.
Posted 04:42 23rd October 2012
oldschool says...
Welcome to professional sport. We see this everywhere, take league for example - the days of the one club player are well and truly gone. Unless a player does not need the money, then you have to go where the opportunity is. Unfortunately loyaltly now comes in second to money whe you need to pay the bills and provide for your family - especially when, after a ten year career or so, you have to completely reinvent yourself in able to continue getting a wage.
Posted 04:13 23rd October 2012
didikriel says...
How many south Sea Islanders have played, are playing and will be playing for the All Blacks? Idiot!!!
Posted 03:29 23rd October 2012
qwerty says...
Lots of commentary from precious Aussies who can't admit they are poaching while still pointing that bone at NZ and South Africans who obviously think Zimbabwe is a province of South Africa. Hypocrisy indeed.
Posted 02:32 23rd October 2012
melkdave says...
Well S.Hansen is right that Australia should have systems in place to grow home talant,ive been banging on about it fot years Biggest failing of the ARU by miles..But he cant blame NZ players who seem surplus to requirments in NZ ,pursing their dreams elsewhere.Not only is it a cheap shot ,to try and stop those players ,but i would also i would say,goes against their human rights ,to earn a living ect.Wouldnt we all love to do a job we love??and pursue our dreams of playing international rugby(those of us that is still young enough ,not old decrepid geezers like me lol)The eligabily rules are there for a good reason ,because today its a global village and world ,and you can work virtually anywhere and everywhere.I know people who have moved to Australia ,the USA and other parts of europe,even China,for work and have settled in their new country,the present rules at least allow those players /people to pursue their dreams ,and i for one appaluad the IRB for that.
Posted 00:13 23rd October 2012
jash says...
Shut your piehole...you suck like Abshiter
Posted 23:55 22nd October 2012
porridge_time says...
The point Hanson is getting at - and correctly making - is that Australia have pushed to increase their Super Rugby teams, but did not have the players. The upshot of this is that they come over to New Zealand and plunder young Kiwi players.
Posted 21:45 22nd October 2012
Ripzy007 says...
This is funny but in a strange way he is right...The Oz fans keeps going on about the Coach (RD) and that he should be kicked out and whoever allowed a kiwi to coach the Wallabies...but when it serves them well (Harris) they say its Hansen spitting the dummie? double standards?
Posted 21:28 22nd October 2012
2EyedKiwi says...
For all those whinging about Hansens comments - thought for a minute that you've taken his bait? The guys humour is as dry as an Arabian gumboot, and I'll think you'll find that he has succeeded with the goal of his intentional stirring comments.
You have been duped my friends. Probably not for the first time, and definately not the last...
Posted 21:21 22nd October 2012
georgesmith says...
S. Hansen is getting too big for his boots and he is already beginning to fall. Why can't he say the same about Kiwis poaching all the talents from the poor islands. The list is really big Mr. Big Mouth S. Hansen. Only team that is not poaching talent is Springboks. But S. Hansen remains a better coach than Kiwi clown R. Deans.
Posted 21:02 22nd October 2012
Isograford says...
Oh boy. Okay before the people (mainly Europeans) who buy into the NZ poaching myth start, take a deep breath, and then go check the facts on who was born where.
What you'll actually find it the biggest actual poachers of NZ born and bred talent is *shock horror* Manu Samoa, and yes...Australia. Go through a full strength Wallaby lineup and you'll be amazed at how few were born in Australia...Genia, Pocock, Cooper, Kefu..the list goes on and on.
Now, go through the current AB lineup and find that they're ALL New Zealand born and raised. I know facts are hard to swallow for some, but there they are.
Posted 20:37 22nd October 2012