THERE CAN ONLY BE JUAN
Stormers manager Solomon hails retiring legend Harris as second to none
YSTER: Juan ‘Brok’ Harris has been a loyal servant to Stormers YSTER: Juan ‘Brok’ Harris has been a loyal servant to Stormers
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WHEN Juan “Brok” Harris left the field with a knee injury in their 56-5 demolition of Benetton on 26 April, he refused to get onto the golf cart.
He wanted to walk off the pitch at Cape Town Stadium for the last time. At 40, Harris knew his knee was busted and his season and therefore his career is over.
After already indicating that this would be his final season, the most-capped Stormer of all time shed a tear when he left the field to a standing ovation from the crowd and reverence from his teammates.
Over the 20 years he spent at the union and franchise, he wore a lot of hats - loosehead prop, tighthead prop, player, coach, father-figure, Oom, brother and most of all a teammate that is, in the words of Chippie Solomon "nulli secundus" (second to none).
In fact, Solomon, the team’s manager for years already would have seen most of what Harris had done in the colours of the Stormers since the player made his debut back in 2006.
SEEN IT ALL: Chippie Solomon SEEN IT ALL: Chippie Solomon
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And Solomon says: “I’ve worked with Schalk Burger, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers, Ricky Januarie, Bolla Conradie, but if there is one name that stands out it has to be Brok Harris.”
It’s a sentiment that is echoed throughout the team, with the players speaking very highly of the player in a video released on the team’s YouTube page in honour of the player-coach.
Fellow prop Neetling Fouche said “he’s basically like a brother to me”, while Evan Roos called Harris Oom when they first started playing together.
Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter described Harris as a father-figure when it comes to the scrums, while fellow veteran prop Ali Vermaak said he is “a leader right across the team”.
Almost everyone mentioned the fact that he is a true peoples person, with Coach John Dobson adding: “I don’t think we’ll ever see such a professional in rugby again, who’s so invested and only wants the best for the team. He will always subjugate his own needs or interest to the team... ”
Harris will watch from the sidelines when the Stormers tackle his former Welsh club the Dragons in the United Rugby Championship at Cape Town Stadium this weekend.