Mike Harris (rugby union)

Michael Harris (born 8 July 1988) is a professional rugby union football player for [[Section Paloise|Pau] in the [[Top 14]]. He has also been capped ten times for [[Australia national rugby union team|Australia]]. Harris began his career in 2007 with [[North Harbour Rugby Union|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 OU|Lyon]] for two seasons from late 2016. He moved to Japan for the 2018–19 season.
His main positions are at [[Fly-half (rugby union)|flyhalf]] or [[second five-eighth]]. He is also a reliable [[Drop goal|goal]] kicker. Mike was [[Head Girl and Head Boy|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 OU|Lyon]] in the [[Top 14]] on a two-year deal from the 2016–17 season. 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.
On 2 July 2020, Harris returns to France with [[Top 14]] rivals [[Section Paloise|Pau]] on a two-year deal from the 2020-21 season.
International career.
Harris was qualified to represent the [[Australian Wallabies|Wallabies]] through his Australian-born grandmother, and was selected at inside centre for the [[2012 mid-year rugby test series#Week 4|test match]] on 5 June 2012 against [[Scotland national rugby union team|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 (rugby union)|Wallabies]] at the 2015 World Cup, Harris was named in the 39-man squad for the 2016 international series against England.
External links.
[[Category:1988 births]]
[[Category:New Zealand 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]]
[[Category:People educated at Westlake Boys High School]]
[[Category:Lyon OU players]]
[[Category:Expatriate rugby union players in France]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate rugby union players]]
[[Category:Expatriate rugby union players in Japan]]
[[Category:Toshiba Brave Lupus players]]
[[Category:Section Paloise players]]