Six Nations: Scotland’s Chris Harris insists his last trip to Cardiff means nothing

On-form centre endured tough first international start in Wales

Scotland inside centre Chris Harris breaks a tackle during the impressive 28-17 victory over France at BT Murrayfield. Picture: Gary Hutchison/SNS/SRU

A first international start for a rugby player is a life-defining moment but for Chris Harris two years ago, it could not have gone much worse.

The then Newcastle centre found himself in the cauldron of the roof-closed Principality Stadium in Cardiff, charging valiantly but in vain to halt Welsh scrum-half Gareth Davies.

Lungs bursting, things just got worse as Scotland, who were seen as the coming team that year, were mercilessly thumped 34-7 by Warren Gatland’s Wales. Harris had played a part off the bench against Samoa in the previous year’s autumn series which had seen an eight-try hiding of Australia.

Fast forward two years and Harris is now a very much established part of the national set-up, even if he is a little unfamiliar to many in Scotland. He has 18 caps already, which is more than some of the most fabled figures in Scottish rugby history but the Carlisle lad, who qualified through his Edinburgh-born grandmother, feels he has no demons to slay in Cardiff this Saturday.

“It always seems to crop up, doesn’t it? I don’t think I’ve mentioned it for a year and a half. It seems to be the media wanting me to bite on it,” said Harris of that disappointing first start in Scotland colours.

In fairness to Harris, he made no glaring howlers that day, but made little impact either. It was more the feeling from Scottish fans of ‘who is this guy?’

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has clearly always been a fan and stuck by his man.

That has been rewarded with three tries, including an important one just after half-time in the tense battle with Italy in Rome.

A big athletic outside centre with excellent defensive technique, and the ability to break out in attack, Scottish supporters are starting to see what Townsend saw in the 29-year-old, who now plays his club rugby at Gloucester.

“It was a game that didn’t go well for the team. I’m not really thinking about it,” said Harris of that 2018 humbling in Cardiff.

“We’re just going to go down to play the game that is ahead of us as opposed to thinking about what is in the past.

“For myself, I think I’ve come on leaps and bounds since that first start. I’m just looking forward to the weekend. I’ve been involved in all the [Six Nations] games so far and I just want to keep playing and enjoying myself. I’m loving every minute of it.”

From Carlisle to Hexham, with Tynedale, and then to Newcastle Falcons, Harris has flirted with the Scottish-English border but has since moved deep south to Gloucester and feels he has benefited.

“I think moving to Gloucester has just freshened everything up from me from a playing point of view,” he 
added.

“I think at Newcastle I was comfortable, and I probably would have just ended up plateauing. Going somewhere else freshens you up and gives you a little spark.”

With Glasgow’s Huw Jones currently out on the outside, so to speak, the No 13 jersey seems to be Harris’s at the moment.

“I would never say I’m comfortable. I think I’m a bit more mentally comfortable, I guess. That’s a big side of the game I’ve had to work on. But that’s the biggest step,” he said.

“I think I’ve always had the ability to play at this level, it has just taken me a couple of goes to get it right. I’m just enjoying my rugby and I think I’m putting in some decent 
performances.”

After that traumatic introduction to Test rugby two years ago, Harris continued: “It’s not hidden that the mental side of the game is a massive thing. It’s not a surprise that it plays a big factor – it’s just something you have to put to one side, almost, and focus on the game. You have to play the game, not the occasion.

“I’ve never doubted myself. It’s just a big stage, international, it is another step up. It was the same when I was playing club rugby [for Carlisle] and I moved to Tynedale, it was another step up. You’ve got to be pretty mentally strong to play at any level.

“There’s nerves, there’s the fear that you are going to make a mistake – but you just can’t feel that. You’ve just got to have confidence in yourself that you’re going to go out and perform.”

It may not have been the most pleasant second cap and first start but Harris is hoping for a 19th cap and a better afternoon in Cardiff on Saturday.

“My first start was down there. It is definitely the loudest crowd, especially with the roof shut,” said Harris.

“I don’t have a lot of experience playing there, but every player I have spoken to says it is the most exciting place to play.”

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