NEW SPRINGBOK STAR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 196, 4 September 1937, Page 18

NEW SPRINGBOK STAR

RISE 0E TONY HARRIS BRILLIANT FLY'HALF - Idol of the Transvaal and one of the most popular players in the Springbok team now touring New Zealand, Tony Karris, the brilliant 20-year-old fiy-half, at the moment has one great ambition in life — to be capped for South Africa in the second Test against New Zealand at Christchurch on September 4. On Friday of last week he became of age. He is emphatic that he could have no better birthday present than the int.ernational green and gold Rugby cap of his eountry. If any player in the Springbok side deserves his international cap, it is Tony Harris. If Harris had belonged to New Zealand, he would probably have been one of the fir&t men picked in any All Black team of the post-war period. Many old All Blacks who have seen Harris play in New Zealand have been impressed bj his bril* liance and have acclaimed him as greater than Roger Spong, of th> 1930 Eritish team. who was regarusd in New Zealand as a fiy-half gieatcr than any that have toured this way before. To the astonishment of those who have seen Tony Harris play on this tour, the little star from Transvaal was dropped from the South African first Test side. The New Zealand selectors, when they heard the South African side announcedi without Harris, chuckled with glee and literally danced hakas of delight, for they realised what a menace Tony Harris would have been to New Zealand. Paradoxically, Harris might not have been in the 1937 Springbok team It was only at the eleventh liour that he was nominated for the Springbok trials at Capetown last April. ilis expenses were not borne by the South African Rugby Board, but were paid by the Transvaal Rugby Union, whose members realised the greatness of their fiy-half and who insisted that he be given his chance in the trials. Tony Harris seized his opportunity with & firm grasp in both hands. He is young, has sound physique, great speed, a hawk-eye for an opening and determination. In the next two or three years, South Africa will probably acclaim him as the greatest fiyhalf the eountry has even known. Tony Harris was nine year old when he first started playing team games. He went to Christian Brothers' College at Kimberley, and there had the distinction of captaining every Rugby team in the various school grades. In addition, during his last two years, he captained the college cricket eleven and the tennis team. At the age of 14 Harris won the Griqualand West junior tennis championship and held it for five years while still a junior, though in the last year he won both the junior and senior titles of- Griqualand West. In the same year he won several other titles. He represented Griqualand West in the national junior championship, but was beaten in the semifinals by Fannin, who played for South Africa in Davis Cup tennis later. So versatile is Harris that he was chosen as twelfth man for South Africa in the Test against the 1936 Australian team which toured the Union. Harris started his cricket career in Griqualand West and at 16 he represented his province. In that season he headed the batting list with an average of 51. His highest score was 114 not out, made in 70 minutes against Orange Free State. When Harris was chosen in the South African cricket team, he was just 18 years of age. When only 17 years of age Tony Harris was asked to play for Griqualand West in Currie Cup Rugby, byt his headmaster would not allow it. South Africa's Currie Cup is of the same importance as New Zealand's Ranfurly Shield. At the age of 18 Harris went to Johannesburg and was immediately chosen for the first fifteen of the Pirates Club there. The club's three-quarter line that year was one of outstanding brilliance. The half-backs were Siegal (Tranpraal rep.), Harris (Transvaal and Griqualand West). The three-quarter line was Fred Turner (Transvaal, Eastern Province and South Africa), Frank Waring (Transvaal, Western Province and South Africa), M. Zimmerman (Western Province and South Africa), and Jack Gage (Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa and Ireland). Born and bred on his father's farm near Kimberley, Harris was brought up among guns and horses. Shooting and riding are his favourite pastimes.