Morris brothers prepare to give the French double the trouble
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday November 4, 2009
LEEDS: The remarkable thing about Josh Morris's Kangaroos debut is not that it will mark the first time twins have played a rugby league Test for Australia since 1991. It is that, while the identical twin brothers have been playing alongside each other all their lives, this will be the first occasion they have partnered each other as a centre and winger combination in a competitive match. Ever.Brett, who made his Test debut against New Zealand in the opening match of the Four Nations and has scored two tries in his two matches, grew up playing at fullback, with Josh as centre. Then, when the two were playing NRL football together at St George Illawarra, Josh had Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper ahead of him in his preferred position.Now Josh is entrenched in the centres and Gasnier plays rugby union in Paris, but the older brother by 10 minutes is with the Bulldogs. The first player to congratulate Josh on his selection was Brett, who will form a left-side partnership with him. "To play in these representative sides is a big thing, but to have him there and see a familiar face out there ... it's a dream come true for both of us," Josh said. "We can't wait."He came up and shook my hand straight away and said, 'Can't wait for it'. It's going to be awesome. I've been playing with him my whole life so it's going to be like old times, just go out there and have some fun."The boys will be the first brothers to play for Australia since Darren and Jason Smith in 1999, and are the first twins to do so since Kevin and Kerrod Walters 18 years ago. But they are not the first members of their family to play for the Kangaroos €“ their father, Steve, did that in 1978."Slippery" Morris will be in Paris for Josh's debut, although the boys' mother, Karen, a schoolteacher, may have to return home after flying to London at short notice to see Brett make his debut. "It is unfortunate," Josh said. "She's looked after us our whole lives; all those long trips to the football games and stuff like that ..."While repaying their mother has been a priority so far on tour, come Saturday, Josh will be hoping to be a provider for his brother. "'GI' [Greg Inglis] has been putting him over for a few tries, so hopefully I can put him over for a few as well," Josh said.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald