Who the hell is Mike Brown?
With the announcement of the England to team to play (or should be to loose to) South Africa on Saturday, I'm glad to say its time for the third in the series of who the hell is.. posts on Harlequins who have got catapulted into the big time.
Unlike Dave Strettle and Nick Easter, Mike Brown has risen the ranks in the more accepted way, being the product of Harlequin's Academy and a veteran of England age group rugby. However, like Stretts and Easter he also got his break in ND1, becoming a fixture in Quin's 1st XV during our brief stay in the lower leagues last season. I first remember seeing him at a very rainy Coventry, being yellow carded for an uncompromising tackle on a Coventry player significantly larger than himself. Although coaches and pundits may purr about his open field running (most defenders beaten during the premiership season) his ability to pick the right support lines (8 tries in the premiership this year) and the howitzer he has for a left boot (he has been known to find touch in opposition 22 from his own) its the nuggety and abrasive way he plays that has endeared him to Quins fans. My only concern is that he can occasionally get a bit nervous on the big occasion, he had a self-confessed mare at the double header in September for instance.
Still he deserves his shot and at 21 even if things don't go well in South Africa it won't be too long before we see him pulling on an England jersey again.
Unlike Dave Strettle and Nick Easter, Mike Brown has risen the ranks in the more accepted way, being the product of Harlequin's Academy and a veteran of England age group rugby. However, like Stretts and Easter he also got his break in ND1, becoming a fixture in Quin's 1st XV during our brief stay in the lower leagues last season. I first remember seeing him at a very rainy Coventry, being yellow carded for an uncompromising tackle on a Coventry player significantly larger than himself. Although coaches and pundits may purr about his open field running (most defenders beaten during the premiership season) his ability to pick the right support lines (8 tries in the premiership this year) and the howitzer he has for a left boot (he has been known to find touch in opposition 22 from his own) its the nuggety and abrasive way he plays that has endeared him to Quins fans. My only concern is that he can occasionally get a bit nervous on the big occasion, he had a self-confessed mare at the double header in September for instance.
Still he deserves his shot and at 21 even if things don't go well in South Africa it won't be too long before we see him pulling on an England jersey again.
posted by Bernard at 10:53 am
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