In-form Saints flanker Harrison: I owe it all to Hartley

Teimana Harrison says he owes his Saints career to Dylan Hartley.
Teimana Harrison has been in superb form for Saints this season (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)Teimana Harrison has been in superb form for Saints this season (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)
Teimana Harrison has been in superb form for Saints this season (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)

And the in-form flanker is adamant his club-mate would be the ‘perfect skipper’ for England.

Harrison and Hartley have struck up a strong bond, since the latter scouted the former during the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

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Harrison then made his way into the Saints Academy and he has recently become a staple feature of the first-team, starting the past six matches.

And on Hartley’s role in his rise to prominence, the 23-year-old Opotiki-born forward said: “For me, I pretty much owe my career to him.

“He’s brought me over, looked after me and whenever I’ve been homesick I can go to him.

“He’s taken me under his wing and he’s an awesome guy.

“I owe a lot to him.”

Harrison qualifies for England through his father and would love to represent the Red Rose one day.

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In the mean time, he believes that Hartley, who was one of four Northampton players named in Eddie Jones’ first England squad on Wednesday, should be given the international captaincy.

“He would be the perfect skipper,” Harrison said.

“If you look at the Saints stats, whenever he’s captained us we win more times than not.

“He’s a ferocious leader and I think he fits the bill perfectly.

“The boys want to follow him and any team would be lucky to have him as a skipper.”