Mike Harrison (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Mike Harrison is a former first-class rugby union
footballer, playing on the wing for Wakefield
and England
.
He was educated at QEGS Wakefield and played for Yorkshire schools at under 16 and 19 levels and North East Schools against Australian schools.
He also won a schools athletics vest for Yorkshire as a sprinter and triple jumper and competed in the national schools championships.
He was involved in a serious car accident in 1975 and eye injuries prevented him playing rugby for more than two years.
In 1978 he joined Wakefield RFC
as a scrum half in the third team before moving to centre and finally right wing for the first team where he played in over 300 games.
He has played 53 times for Yorkshire between 1981 and 1996. He also represented the North of England against Fiji (1982) and Australia (1984).
Harrison made his England
debut during the 1985 tour to New Zealand
at the relatively advanced age of 29. England lost both tests, but Harrison scored a breakaway try in each to earn himself the nickname "Burglar Bill". Subsequently a local brewery named a drink "Burglar Bill" after him.
By 1987, Harrison had become a regular fixture in the side, playing in 14 of the next 15 England matches, including all four games of the 1987 Five Nations, one of which was as captain. His appointment came about when current skipper and scrum-half Richard Hill
was suspended for allegedly inciting a violent clash with Wales
. Mike's first game in charge resulted in victory over Scotland
and he marked the occasion with a try.
He kept the captaincy for the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand
in 1987 where he led by example and enjoyed good try-scoring form. In the opening match against Australia, Harrison scored another breakaway try to give his side a surprise lead. England remained in contention at 6-6 but could not respond to losing full-back Marcus Rose
to concussion and a highly controversial try scored by David Campese
. England lost 19-6, but came back to crush Japan
, Harrison himself grabbing a hat-trick in thirteen minutes as England racked up ten tries. He scored his fifth try of the tournament against the USA, but England lost to Wales in the quarter-finals, thought by some to have been the worst match of the tournament.
Harrison played the first two games of the 1988 Five Nations but was then dropped and never again called upon to represent his country.
Mike Harrison currently works in banking and occasionally works as an expert summariser on the radio. Harrison is married to Marion with three children; Fiona, Anne and Simon.
(Christchurch) L 18-13
1985 v New Zealand (Wellington) L 42-15
1986 v Scotland
(Murrayfield) L 33-6 (FN)
1986 v Ireland
(Twickenham) W 25-20 (FN)
1986 v France
(Paris) L 29-10 (FN)
1987 v Ireland (Dublin) L 17-0 (FN)
1987 v France (Twickenham) L 19-15 (FN)
1987 v Wales
(Cardiff) L 19-12 (FN)
1987 v Scotland (Twickenham) W 21-12 (FN) (Captain)
1987 v Australia (Sydney) L 19-6 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1987 v Japan
(Sydney) W 60-7 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1987 v USA (Sydney) W 34-6 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1987 v Wales (Brisbane) L 16-3 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1988 v France](Paris) L 10-9 (FN) (Captain)
1988 v Wales (Twickenham) L 11-3 (FN) (Captain)
Career Record: P15, W4, L11
Test Points: 32
Tries: 8
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer, playing on the wing for Wakefield
Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC was an English rugby union club, founded in 1901, and which dropped out of the English leagues in 2004 as a result of the effects of professionalism...
and England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
.
He was educated at QEGS Wakefield and played for Yorkshire schools at under 16 and 19 levels and North East Schools against Australian schools.
He also won a schools athletics vest for Yorkshire as a sprinter and triple jumper and competed in the national schools championships.
He was involved in a serious car accident in 1975 and eye injuries prevented him playing rugby for more than two years.
In 1978 he joined Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC
Wakefield RFC was an English rugby union club, founded in 1901, and which dropped out of the English leagues in 2004 as a result of the effects of professionalism...
as a scrum half in the third team before moving to centre and finally right wing for the first team where he played in over 300 games.
He has played 53 times for Yorkshire between 1981 and 1996. He also represented the North of England against Fiji (1982) and Australia (1984).
Harrison made his England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
debut during the 1985 tour to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
at the relatively advanced age of 29. England lost both tests, but Harrison scored a breakaway try in each to earn himself the nickname "Burglar Bill". Subsequently a local brewery named a drink "Burglar Bill" after him.
By 1987, Harrison had become a regular fixture in the side, playing in 14 of the next 15 England matches, including all four games of the 1987 Five Nations, one of which was as captain. His appointment came about when current skipper and scrum-half Richard Hill
Richard Hill (scrum-half)
Richard Hill , is rugby union coach and former English international rugby footballer.-Biography:Born in Birmingham, Hill was educated at Bishop Wordsworth's Grammar School in Salisbury, and Exeter University...
was suspended for allegedly inciting a violent clash with Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. Mike's first game in charge resulted in victory over Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and he marked the occasion with a try.
He kept the captaincy for the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1987 where he led by example and enjoyed good try-scoring form. In the opening match against Australia, Harrison scored another breakaway try to give his side a surprise lead. England remained in contention at 6-6 but could not respond to losing full-back Marcus Rose
Marcus Rose
Marcus Rose is a former rugby union international full back who gained ten caps between 1981 and 1987.Rose was educated at Loughborough Grammar School, Hatfield College at Durham University and Magdalene College, Cambridge.He played for Leicester Tigers at the age of 17, Cambridge University...
to concussion and a highly controversial try scored by David Campese
David Campese
David Ian Campese , also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player. Campese was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and held the world record for the most tries in test matches until Daisuke Ohata scored his 65th try playing for Japan on 14 May 2006...
. England lost 19-6, but came back to crush Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
, Harrison himself grabbing a hat-trick in thirteen minutes as England racked up ten tries. He scored his fifth try of the tournament against the USA, but England lost to Wales in the quarter-finals, thought by some to have been the worst match of the tournament.
Harrison played the first two games of the 1988 Five Nations but was then dropped and never again called upon to represent his country.
Mike Harrison currently works in banking and occasionally works as an expert summariser on the radio. Harrison is married to Marion with three children; Fiona, Anne and Simon.
Mike Harrison's International Record
1985 v New ZealandAll Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
(Christchurch) L 18-13
1985 v New Zealand (Wellington) L 42-15
1986 v Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
(Murrayfield) L 33-6 (FN)
1986 v Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
(Twickenham) W 25-20 (FN)
1986 v France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
(Paris) L 29-10 (FN)
1987 v Ireland (Dublin) L 17-0 (FN)
1987 v France (Twickenham) L 19-15 (FN)
1987 v Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
(Cardiff) L 19-12 (FN)
1987 v Scotland (Twickenham) W 21-12 (FN) (Captain)
1987 v Australia (Sydney) L 19-6 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1987 v Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
(Sydney) W 60-7 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1987 v USA (Sydney) W 34-6 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1987 v Wales (Brisbane) L 16-3 (W. Cup) (Captain)
1988 v France](Paris) L 10-9 (FN) (Captain)
1988 v Wales (Twickenham) L 11-3 (FN) (Captain)
Career Record: P15, W4, L11
Test Points: 32
Tries: 8
Sources
- Wakefield Rugby Football Club—1901-2001 A Centenary History. Written and compiled by David Ingall in 2001
- England v Ireland official match programme 1-3-1986
- Sporting Heroes.net
- Scrum.com profile