Harris eyes defensive gains

Monday 28 March 2016 Written by: Adam


The Falcons trailed 15-10 at the midway stage of a full-blooded Aviva Premiership encounter, the centre’s second-half offload creating a try for George McGuigan before a late double from Thomas Young sealed it for the visitors.

Harris said: “It is really frustrating. We started pretty well but didn’t really capitalise. Every time you are in the 22 you want to make it count, whether it’s three points or a try, but we came away with nothing for pretty much the whole half.

“We were pretty passive in defence, Wasps took easy yards and we were on the back foot. Our defence just wasn’t up to scratch.”

Denied a losing bonus point at the death, the centre added: “We were seven points down and thought we could take it. We were playing with ambition but just weren’t clinical enough. It is little things we talk about after every game.

“We highlighted what they were going to bring and in general we dealt with it. We just had a period in that first half which in my opinion cost us the game. At times we attacked and defended well, but it has to be over 80 minutes rather than 10.

“We had the ambition to come back and draw the game, we knocked it on, and it was error on error when they scored and the game was gone.”

Heading to London for the next assignment as they tackle Harlequins on Saturday, Harris said: “As a team we know what we need to do, and what our defensive principles are. We just didn’t do it. We didn’t get off the line in the first half, we let them run at us and that is what cost us.

“I am enjoying playing and getting the ball in my hands. When we are on the front foot it is great, but obviously when you lose it’s not what you want. You don’t want to be doing a review in the week as to why you got beat. It does get tedious, but we have just got to learn the lessons and move on.”