Happy Harries playing himself into Blues team
HE’S in the squad of 30 and he’s probably going to start for us because he’s been our best performer.”
Those are the words of Cardiff Blues head coach John Mulvihill ahead of tonight’s PRO14 opener against Leinster at Cardiff Arms Park (7.35pm).
You’d be forgiven for assuming he’s discussing one of his international stars, but he’s referring to Jason Harries, a relatively low-key summer signing.
There will be many in these parts unfamiliar with the name, but his journey to professional rugby in Wales started off like many others.
The 29-year-old Welsh-speaker represented his country at age grade level, including at the 2009 Junior World Championship but as he came through the academy structure, first team opportunities at the Scarlets weren’t forthcoming.
He was forced to grind his way through the Welsh Premiership with Carmarthen Quins – playing with the likes of Will Boyde, Ryan Elias, James Davies and Rob Evans, all of whom are now first-team Scarlets.
Harries eventually had to look outside Wales, and after spending time in the English Championship with London Scottish, he was given a chance by Richard Cockerill at Edinburgh last season.
“I never wanted to leave Wales,” says Harries.
“It was a dream of mine to be in what was the PRO12 setup with a region.
“It wasn’t meant to be and to leave at the time I did, looking back, was probably the right choice because look at where I am now.”
He added: “You have that voice in the back of your head saying that you want to get back to Wales. I kept pushing and pushing and it finally worked out well.”
Having left Wales in order to seek opportunities at professional level, Harries admits he returns with a point to prove and still harbours international ambitions.
“You could say so. I’ve learned the hard way and I’ve just got to get on with it now and prove to myself as well that I can actually do this,” he said. “As a player, you want to play in Wales throughout your career and I didn’t get that opportunity nine or ten years ago at that young age.
“As most of the boys would say, being brought up in Wales, there’s a massive buzz about Welsh rugby.
“As a kid, I wanted to play for Wales and that’s still a goal of mine.
“You always have to have something that you want to achieve and for me, personally, that’s still there for me and it keeps me driving every day.”
The winger has tasted senior international rugby on the Sevens circuit.
Before joining the Exiles, Wales Sevens coach Gareth Williams approached him to join the setup.
Cardiff Blues:
M Morgan; J Harries, W Halaholo, R Lee-Lo, O Lane; J Evans, L Williams; B Thyer, K Dacey, D Arhip; S Davies, R Thornton; J Turnbull, E Jenkins, N Williams. Reps: R Gill, E Lewis, S Andrews, G Earle, O Robinson, T Williams, S Shingler, G Smith.
D Kearney; A Byrne, R O’Loughlin, J Tomane, B Daly; R Byrne, L McGrath; P Dooley, J Tracy, M Bent; R Molony, S Fardy; J Murphy, R Ruddock, C Doris. Reps: B Byrne, E Byrne, A Porter, M Kearney, M Deegan, J Gibson-Park, N Reid, F McFadden.
Leinster:
He went on to spend three years involved with the Sevens, honing his skills and it’s a route he’d encourage others to go down if they reach a cross-roads in their careers.
A number of current professionals in the 15-man game – James Davies, Alex Cuthbert and Cory Allen perhaps the most high profile – have all cut their teeth on the circuit.
“I owe a lot to sevens, definitely,” said Harries.
“Because it tests your skills, it’s a hard environment to be involved in fitness and skills-wise.
“If your pass isn’t correct, then you’re checking someone outside you and it slows the whole process down. So. your skills have to be on point from the word go.
“It does put you under scrutiny because of how physically demanding it is. You’re playing six games in two days. “It’s definitely a route that people can go down in order to improve on those minor details.”
Ellis Jenkins will lead Cardiff Blues against Leinster having not featured in a pre-season friendly.
Ahead of his first full season as captain of the region, the 25-year-old was afforded an extended break after captaining Wales during their successful summer tour of America and Argentina.
But he’s ready to go for the league opener and the openside is joined by fellow tourists Seb Davies and Josh Turnbull – who have both featured in pre-season – in the Blues’ starting line-up.
Also starting are tight-head prop Dmitri Arhip and second row Rory Thornton, both of whom joined from the Ospreys this summer with the lock only on loan.
Elsewhere, there’s a competitive debut for Harries, who is joined in the back three by Matthew Morgan and Owen Lane.
A familiar centre partnership of Willis Halaholo and Rey Lee-Lo is outside half-backs Jarrod Evans and Lloyd Williams.
Nick Williams completes the back row with Turnbull and Jenkins, with Brad Thyer and Kristian Dacey joining Arhip in the front row.
“It is a great way for us to kick-off the season – the European Challenge Cup champions against the PRO14 and Champions Cup winners,” added Mulvihill.