{"id":905268,"date":"2026-09-25T18:30:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T18:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/905268\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T18:30:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T18:30:09","slug":"ex-wallabies-enforcer-recalls-infamous-find-a-green-jersey-and-get-a-hit-on-brawl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/905268\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Wallabies enforcer recalls infamous ‘find a green jersey and get a hit on’ brawl"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Wallabies enforcer Justin Harrison has recalled the infamous 20-player brawl against the Springboks<\/a> that ended with him escaping a suspension in 2002.<\/p>\n

Ahead of Sunday\u2019s match between Australia and South Africa in Perth, the retired lock appeared on the Rugby Heaven show. As part of the preview was the broadcasting of vintage clips highlighting the at times fierce rugby rivalry between the two countries.<\/p>\n

The reel began with the 2017 incident where Springbok RG Snyman clattered into Michael Hooper when chasing a restart kick.<\/p>\n

The 2022 bust-up featuring Eben Etzebeth, another South African lock, and Allan Alaalatoa was also shown, and then came the 24-year-old footage of Harrison teaming up with fellow Wallaby Jeremy Paul and landing punches on Faan Rautenbach.<\/p>\n

\u201cA moving melee\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

After the brawl ended, Harrison and Paul were sin-binned by English referee Steve Lander along with South Africa\u2019s Werner Greeff.<\/p>\n

Harrison, Paul and Rautenbach were then cited and had to appear at a disciplinary hearing the next day in Brisbane, where the yellow card for the Aussie pair was deemed sufficient while Rautenbach was punished with a retrospective yellow card.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth nations are quite evenly matched, right? The results are very similar. It speaks to the DNA of the athlete on the field and the nation that they\u2019re representing and the passion in which they like to portray that in the jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that absolutely is not only just execution of skill, but it is execution of emotion and talent,\u201d said Harrison after initially seeing the 2017 and 2022 clips.<\/p>\n

About the Wallabies-Springboks punch-up he was involved in, Harrison added: \u201cThere was a bit of niggle leading into the Test, and when it started it was just find a green jersey and get a hit on\u2026 It was a moving melee.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t get suspended. Yellow card was sufficient. The defence was pretty clear. I explained to your honour the next day that it was very clear that I was concerned for Jeremy Paul\u2019s welfare. Head high, headlock, and I was just trying to break the vice grip that Faan Rautenbach had on Jeremy\u2019s neck, so teammate before self.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wallabies team v Springboks: Winners and losers as Les Kiss presents playmaker with \u2018golden chance\u2019 while \u2018highly rated\u2019 code hopper misses out<\/a><\/p>\n

Looking ahead to Sunday\u2019s latest clash between the Aussies and the Boks, Harrison was enthusiastic about the decision by Les Kiss to move Joseph Suaalii from midfield to left wing<\/a> for a first-time start in that position in his 25th appearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity for him to have on the end of skill execution; all of the things that he\u2019ll do will be final points on movements and finishing moments, so they\u2019ll be amplifiers of his skill level,\u201d reckoned the former international.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the middle it\u2019s messy, and there\u2019s a lot of traffic, and there\u2019s a lot of things that he\u2019s doing that have gone unnoticed, no doubt. On the wing it will be highlighted. There will be plays designed for him; there\u2019ll be finishing moves that he\u2019ll be able to accelerate into.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe challenge, of course, is what happens in the middle with the forwards, what happens at scrum and lineout and supply chain of possession, what happens with the freedom and sort of ball that he gets and the opportunity that he gets.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that Tony Brown, Rassie Erasmus, Springboks<\/a> are busy designing a game plan with Suaalii played out of the game or turned around a lot, so his work rate\u2019s going to be tested as well right on the pendulum, work back for a kick \u2013 he\u2019s still going to have to repair, he\u2019s still going to have to work hard. It\u2019s a great opportunity for him to put what we know he\u2019s got inside that body on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Springboks: Herschel Jantjies reveals why the \u2018fire is burning in him again\u2019 ahead of Wallabies clash<\/a><\/p>\n

Having Suaalii on the wing for the Wallabies<\/a> will add an intriguing dynamic to the kick battle in the air where the Springboks frequently enjoy dominance. \u201cThere\u2019s a thing called structured kicking,\u201d Harrison continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the time, you\u2019ll see teams explore three phases, we don\u2019t get shoulders through, we\u2019re not getting fast ball, we\u2019re not getting our attacking rhythm; let\u2019s kick it and reset.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Springboks have an entirely different attitude to the way that they kick and introduce it into the game. They\u2019ll introduce it early and often, and they\u2019ll introduce it while they\u2019re moving forward. Look at those clips: The 10 has a huge amount of time, everyone\u2019s well positioned, everyone knows what\u2019s coming.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a repair and a get-out-of-jail card that\u2019s just throw in hope and kick in hope. It is absolutely structured, and that\u2019s what we talk about when you talk about laying platforms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Springboks lay the platform to get to the right field position; when we get to 15, five out, 10 out, 40 out, we\u2019re going to put it on the five-metre line. Everyone knows, but that\u2019s the difference between structured and sporadic kicking.<\/p>\n

Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as\u00a0a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a>\u00a0for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the power that creates the precision, right? The game offers you many opportunities to do things that are finesse and intrigue, but ultimately it\u2019s all about presenting yourself with the best field position most often.\u201d<\/p>\n

The repositioning of Suaalii to the wing will allow the Wallabies to line out with a midfield consisting of Hunter Paisami at No.12 and Len Ikitau switching to No.13, Suaalii\u2019s old outside centre role.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a tactic that Harrison liked the sound of. \u201cPaisami has absolutely added some width in his vision when he\u2019s taking ball into contact; he\u2019s looking for offloads, he gets shoulders through, he\u2019s robust in defence without being tunnel vision.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was up and in and zeroing in and missing probably the big hit or nothing. And then with Ikitau outside him, he\u2019s that one position close to Suaalii and has probably Max Jorgensen (on the right wing) to free up as well, and we know how magic he is at getting the ball loose and actually penetrating himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Wallabies v Springboks prediction: Rassie Erasmus\u2019 selections make for a \u2018fair fight\u2019 but Bomb Squad will be the difference<\/a><\/p>\n

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