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Getting to know: Australia U20s out-half Harry McLaughlin-Phillips
The strike rate for 10s who play for Australia at the World Rugby U20 Championship going on to make a Test-level breakthrough with the Wallabies isn’t all that great. However, if selection was a criteria that included good manners and conversational ability, then Harry McLaughlin-Phillips has every chance of altering that sequence in the years to come as he presents immensely well and talks insightfully.
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He was waiting on time in the hotel lobby in Cape Town the other day when RugbyPass came to shoot the breeze about a promising career that has already garnered a half-dozen Super Rugby appearances this year with the Les Kiss-revamped Reds in Brisbane.
An in-depth interview covering all that ground will be published on RugbyPass next week. In the meantime, ahead of Australia’s opening match at the 2024 age-grade tournament this Saturday versus Georgia in Athlone, here is what McLaughlin-Phillips had to say when taking the Getting to Know quickfire Q&A:
THE BASICS
Born: April 13, 2004;
Joined country age-grade: U18 schools, 2022. I made the team but we didn’t have a game because of covid.
Club: Reds;
Position: Out-half;
Height: 5ft 8;
Weight: 89kgs;
Boots: Asics Menace 4s;
Gumshield: The ones World Rugby have given us with the instruments;
Headgear: I used to when I was younger. I don’t know what I stopped, not sure. Didn’t look good (laughs);
School: Brisbane Boys College.
RATE YOURSELF (out of 100)
Pace: 75;
Passing: 85;
Tackling: 85;
Kicking: 80.
THE PAST
My favourite Australia player of all time is… David Pocock;
Favourite try I have ever scored is… Geez, maybe last year here against England;
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A rugby memory that makes me smile is… Winning the school comp, the GPS first XV.
The moment I realised I could make it is… Probably when I got a scholarship to school in Brisbane when I was 13;
One piece of advice I would give to my younger self is… To get what you want you have got to make sacrifices;
My best subject in school was… Maths;
The first player who made me fall in love with rugby is… Dan Carter;
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The coach who has most impacted my game is… The coach I had at school, Carl Fritz.
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THE PRESENT
My best attributes on the field are… Ball carrying;
One thing I’m doing to improve my education is… Business and law at university;
My favourite current Australia player is… Probably Noah Lolesio;
My favourite YouTuber is… Nah, not a big YouTuber. I can’t think of anyone;
My hardest working teammate is… Toby Macpherson;
My most skilful teammate is… Ronan Leahy;
My favourite training drill is… Three-on-twos;
My favourite music artist is… Zach Bryan.
THE FUTURE
A player who could go all the way is… Ronan Leahy;
If I could play with anyone, I would like to play with… Aaron Smith;
I will be happy with my career if I… To win a Rugby World Cup;
One thing I want to add to my game is… Game management skills;
One person I want to meet is… Denzel Washington;
One trophy I would love to win is… U20s World Cup.
- Click here to sign up to RugbyPass TV for free live World Rugby U20s Championship matches from Saturday, June 29
We go deep with @englandrugby as the Under 20's side head to South Africa for the #WorldRugbyU20s Championship ? #Embedded #RugbyPassTV pic.twitter.com/LxVAIXnGZZ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 26, 2024
