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BRISBANE - During his three years in the test wilderness, Bronson Harrison never lost hope that he would wear the Kiwi rugby league jumper again.
Harrison's faith was rewarded with a late call-up to the World Cup squad, the start of a giddy climb that will culminate with a starting berth in the rugby league World Cup final in Brisbane on Saturday.
"I'm over the moon," he said of the prospect of running out against Australia at Suncorp Stadium.
"I wasn't even expecting to be in the World Cup squad. I'm just stoked."
A month ago, the closest Harrison, 23, had expected to get to the tournament was playing for the New Zealand Maori in the curtain-raiser to the Kiwi-Kangaroo pool match in Sydney.
But injury to Iosia Soliola led to his inclusion in the cup squad, and gave him the chance to add to his one and only cap, against France back in 2005.
"I was always hoping," he said of his time out of the international arena.
"There was always the hope, but never the guarantee. I wasn't really playing that well, but I toughed it out and gave it the best I could."
The long wait finally ended when Harrison came on as substitute in the pool fixture against England two weeks ago and the backrower took the opportunity with both hands.
He showed plenty of spark, set up two tries during a Kiwi comeback that resulted in a 36-24 victory and was named players' player of the match.
Harrison was elevated to the starting 13 for the semifinal against England a week later and scored his first test try after running a great line and then stepping fullback Paul Wellens.
He admitted that the events of the past month hadn't yet sunk in.
As for the final, he was trying to keep his thoughts on other things for as long as possible.
"I'm trying not to keep it in my mind until game time, otherwise I won't get any sleep."
Part of Harrison's drive to do well is to honour the memory of grandfather Joe Gwynne, a former Kiwi selector and coach of championship-winning sides in Auckland club league.
Gwynne, who died in September, had a close relationship with Harrison, whose career he followed closely.
After five years with the Wests Tigers, where he has had a chequered time, with most of his 79 first-grade appearances being from off the bench, Harrison is headed to Canberra next season and looking for more minutes on the field.
"I've probably played more game time with the Kiwis that I did with the Tigers," he said.
Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney has been impressed with Harrison's work ethic and desire to learn.
"It's been a real pleasure working with him," he said.
"He wants to learn and he works very hard on the training paddock and in the gym. When you have a kid like that who's determined to do well, then half your job is done."
Kearney said one thing that had hampered Harrison in the past was time spent in the casualty ward.
"For his sake, I hope that's the end of the injuries and he keeps working and he does what he does, because he really has come on great in this campaign."
- NZPA
