Sounds like you've named the right man Skinner...
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The Canterbury Bulls rugby league team needs a new "boss" on the field next season because captain Aaron Harris will be overseas on a working holiday.
Harris, nicknamed Boss even before he succeeded Shane Beyers as skipper of Canterbury's Bartercard Cup team, expects to be away for two years.
He had hoped to extend his 38 consecutive appearances for the Bulls before leaving but has discovered his departure for London coincides with the kick-off of the 2005 competition.
About 150 players have left Bartercard Cup squads in the last year, the great majority of them seeking professional or part-time contracts overseas, but Harris, 27, said yesterday that was not his prime motive.
"It's mainly a working holiday but I'm going to have a look at a few (rugby league) things over there. I would be silly not to.
"I've been talking to Lusi (Sione, the former Bulls fullback now playing in England) and others who have come back and they said I would have no trouble finding a team to play for.
"But that's really secondary to my purpose of going over there to have a look around."
Next season will be the first time the Bulls will not have the name Harris on their team sheet.
Elder brother Clayton played 50 matches from 2000 when he shared in the grand final victory over Otahuhu Leopards at Carlaw Park until he was transferred on work promotion to Melbourne midway through 2002.
Aaron Harris made his debut in the last three games of that season. He also experienced the thrill of a grand final triumph, over Marist-Richmond Brothers at Ericsson Stadium in 2003.
This year, with Harris captaining the side from stand-off half, the much depleted Bulls again reached the play-offs before losing to North Harbour Tigers.
"It was a new challenge for me because I had never really captained a side before. I enjoyed it, and seeing the young guys come through," he said. "If all the guys who played this year are available again I think the Bulls will be pretty strong contenders next year."
Harris is a passionate advocate for the Bartercard Cup, despite, or because of, the demands on amateur players who are expected to achieve professional standards to be competitive.
"It's an excellent competition in a professional environment. Getting away with a team up to Auckland every second week was a big part of it for me," he said. "Guys are working 10 or 11 hours a day, then going to do a couple of hours of training for the love of it. I would play for nothing, and that's pretty much what we did, just for the love of the game."
Harris is currently backing up those words with deeds. He is still training with the Bulls and intends to do so until he and partner Liesje set off for London. "I enjoy it. It's a good incentive for me not to be sitting on the couch."
Bulls head coach Phil Prescott described Harris as "pretty under-estimated, one of those blokes who does his job and does it very well".
The scorer of 15 tries in his 38 Bartercard Cup matches, Harris could spark attacks with his clever kicking game or finish them with astute support play.
"You need blokes like him, who turn up for every game; you know what you will get from them," Prescott said.
Courtesy of
www.rubgyleaguenz.com 
