News in Brief
Brumbies hand Harrison a leadership role
Scrum.com
January 18, 2010
Brumbies forwards Justin Harrison and George Smith share a joke during a pre-season training session
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- Former Wallabies lock Justin Harrison has been named in the Brumbies leadership group for the forthcoming season - just five days after completing an eight month suspension.
The ex-Waratahs, Ulster and Bath second row, who was also part of the Brumbies set up between 1997 and 2004, was banned last year after he admitted to taking cocaine during his stint with Premiership side Bath. The 35-year-old also admitted to shouting out "class A, it's OK, everyone's doing it" during Bath's end of season party in London.
"The amount of intellectual property he holds after almost 15 years of professional rugby is unsurpassed," said coach Andy Friend, "and he's been one of the key individuals in each squad he's been a part of."
Harrison joins another returning star Matt Giteau and forwards Stephen Moore, Mitchell Chapman and last season's skipper Stephen Hoiles in the leadership group. The squad also contains three Test captains past and present in Giteau, current Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom and flanker George Smith.
- London Irish have received a boost ahead of its important Heineken Cup fixture with Leinster this week with the announcement that Clarke Dermody has signed a new two year contract that will keep him with the club until June 2012.
- Northampton have signed former Wales prop Darren Morris until the end of this season. Saints have swooped for 35-year-old Morris following a career-ending injury suffered by their Argentinian international front-row forward Santiago Bonorino. Bonorino, 34, has retired with immediate effect due to a back problem. He joined Northampton from their Guinness Premiership rivals Leicester last summer. Morris, most recently with Cardiff Blues, has made more than 100 Premiership appearances for Leicester and Worcester.
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