Mike Harris (rugby union)

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Michael Harris

| image = Mike Harris 2018a.jpg

| caption = Mike Harris 2018

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1988|7|8}}

| birth_place = North Shore, New Zealand

| height = {{convert|186|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|96|kg|lbs|abbr=on}}

| ru_position = Inside Centre / Fly-half / Fullback

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| years1 = 2016−2018

| years2 = 2018–2020

| years3 = 2020–2023

| clubs1 = Lyon

| clubs2 = Toshiba Brave Lupus

| clubs3 = Pau

| apps1 = 45

| apps2 = 5

| apps3 = 4

| points1 = 158

| points2 = 30

| points3 = 3

| ru_clubupdate = 25 April 2021

| superyears1 = 2011–2014

| superyears2 = 2015−2016

| super1 = {{Rut|Reds}}

| super2 = {{Rut|Rebels}}

| superapps1 = 44

| superapps2 = 22

| superpoints1 = 268

| superpoints2 = 133

| super14update = 25 April 2021

| provinceyears1 = 2007–2010

| provinceyears2 = 2014

| province1 = North Harbour

| province2 = Queensland Country

| provinceapps1 = 33

| provinceapps2 = 0

| provincepoints1 = 255

| provincepoints2 = 0

| repyears1 = 2007-2008

| repyears2 = 2012

| repteam1 = New Zealand U20

| repteam2 = Australia

| repcaps1 = 1

| repcaps2 = 10

| reppoints1 = 0

| reppoints2 = 55

| ru_ntupdate = 25 April 2021

| school = Westlake Boys High School

}}

Michael Harris (born 8 July 1988) is a former professional rugby union football player who most recently played for Pau in the Top 14. He was also been capped ten times for Australia. Harris began his career in 2007 with North Harbour in New Zealand's ITM Cup before moving to Australia in 2011. He played for the Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby and then joined French club Lyon for two seasons from late 2016. He moved to Japan for the 2018–19 season.

His main positions are at flyhalf or second five-eighth. He is also a reliable goal kicker. Mike was Head Boy at Westlake Boys High School in 2006.

Club career

After making his Queensland Reds debut in 2011, Harris was selected to fill the void of flyhalf after fellow Queensland Reds played Quade Cooper had succumbed to injury during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Harris immediately made an impact as he broke the Super Rugby record for most consecutive goals (penalties, conversions etc.) with 24. He also broke John Eales' Queensland and Australian record for most goals in a game with 9 (7 penalties, 2 conversions). He became a viable kicking option for the Reds but suffered injury a few weeks later. In June 2012 he was selected to play his first test match against Scotland. In May 2014 it was announced that Harris would be joining the Melbourne Rebels for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

On 16 March 2016, Harris travels to France to join with top club Lyon in the Top 14 on a two-year deal from the 2016–17 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/harris-joins-french-club-lyon-20160316|publisher=Sports24|title=Harris joins French club Lyon|date=16 March 2016|accessdate=7 April 2018}} On 4 April 2018, Harris leaves France for Japan to join Toshiba Brave Lupus, in the Top League on a two-year deal from the 2018–19 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/former-wallaby-mike-harris-signs-with-japanese-club-toshiba-brave-lupus/news-story/c33f565a135a649bff51f215212abb14|publisher=News.com.au|title=Former Wallaby Mike Harris signs with Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus|date=4 April 2018|accessdate=7 April 2018}}

On 2 July 2020, Harris returned to France with Top 14 rivals Pau on a two-year deal from the 2020-21 season, where he played until 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/sport/Rugby/ex-wallabies-flyhalf-mike-harris-fills-gap-at-pau-left-by-colin-slade-and-tom-taylor-20200702-2|publisher=News 24|title=Ex-Wallabies flyhalf Mike Harris fills gap at Pau left by Colin Slade and Tom Taylor|date=2 July 2020|accessdate=1 February 2021}}

International career

Harris was qualified to represent the Wallabies through his Australian-born grandmother, and was selected at inside centre for the test match on 5 June 2012 against Scotland. He scored 6 points in this game, the only points for Australia in a 9–6 loss to Scotland. Two weeks later he was on the bench in the second test against Wales in Melbourne on 16 June 2012, coming on for an injured Berrick Barnes. He scored the winning goal for the match to secure a 25–23 win for the Wallabies.

After missing selection for the Wallabies at the 2015 World Cup, Harris was named in the 39-man squad for the 2016 international series against England.

Super Rugby statistics

{{updated|21 July 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_9990.html | title=Player Statistics | work=its rugby | accessdate=26 July 2016}}

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:70%;"
2011	{{Rut\|Reds}}	8	6	2	498	3	5	3	0	34	1	0
2012	{{Rut\|Reds}}	14	14	0	1037	0	22	34	1	149	0	0
2013	{{Rut\|Reds}}	8	4	4	339	0	3	4	0	18	0	0
2014	{{Rut\|Reds}}	14	14	0	1050	3	12	9	1	69	0	0
2015	{{Rut\|Rebels}}	15	15	0	1131	1	20	26	0	123	0	0
2016	{{Rut\|Rebels}}	6	6	0	279	1	1	1	0	10	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total \|\| 66 \|\| 60 \|\| 6 \|\| 4334 \|\| 8 \|\| 63 \|\| 77 \|\| 2 \|\| 403 \|\| 1 \|\| 0

Notes

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web

|title=Mike Harris

|url=http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/120/Default.aspx

|work=rugby.com.au

|publisher=Australian Rugby Union

|accessdate=15 January 2014

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130410213242/http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/87/Default.aspx

|archivedate=10 April 2013

}}

{{cite web

|url= http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2011/rugby/player/102694.html

|title= Mike Harris player profile

|publisher= ESPN Scrum.com}}

{{cite web

|url=http://tensport.com.au/news/theroar/Rugby-Union-Is-Mike-Harris-rugbys-best-kicker.htm

|title= Is Mike Harris rugby's best kicker}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/7038354/Deans-adds-Kiwis-to-Wallabies-to-play-Scots

|title= Deans adds Kiwis to Wallabies to play Scots

|date = 3 June 2012}}

{{cite web

|url=https://www.melbournerebels.com.au/news/article/rabodirect-rebels-sign-wallaby-mike-harris

|title= Rabodirect Rebels sign Wallaby Mike Harris}}

{{cite web

|title=Mike Harris wants to tackle All Blacks, SBW

|first=Ben

|last=Horne

|work=Rugby Heaven

|publisher=Fairax

|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/7395592/Mike-Harris-wants-to-tackle-All-Blacks-SBW

|date=1 August 2012

|accessdate=3 August 2012

|url-status=live

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227171257/http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/7038354/Deans-adds-Kiwis-to-Wallabies-to-play-Scots

|archivedate=27 December 2014

}}

External links

{{ESPNscrum|102694}}
{{cite web

|year= 2014

|title= Reds Profile

|url=http://redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/33/Default.aspx

|url-status= dead

|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140125163914/http://redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/33/Default.aspx

|archivedate= 25 January 2014}}

{{cite web

|year= 2013

|title= Wallabies Profile

|url=http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/120/Default.aspx|work=rugby.com.au

|url-status= dead

|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130410213242/http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/87/Default.aspx

|archivedate= 10 April 2013}}

Category:1988 births

Category:New Zealand rugby union players

Category:Australian rugby union players

Category:Australia international rugby union players

Category:Queensland Reds players

Category:Melbourne Rebels players

Category:North Harbour rugby union players

Category:Rugby union fly-halves

Category:Rugby union fullbacks

Category:Rugby union centres

Category:Living people