When you hear Harry Potter speak, thoughts of the English-born back pulling on a white rather than gold jersey are instantly washed away.
Potter is set to return to England as part of three new faces in the Wallabies 34-player squad for the opening Test of their Grand Slam tour on November 10.
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The 26-year-old was born in London before moving to Melbourne, eventually returning to England to take up a chance with Leicester during COVID under now-English boss Steve Borthwick.
“We didn’t have a great deal of certainty around the Super Rugby teams and there was an opportunity to go over to Leicester with a coach I’d previously worked with and I hadn’t played a game of Super Rugby so it turned out a good career move to play professional Rugby,” Potter told reporters.
“I was playing for Leicester and plugging away over there, but there was no call-ins to any England camps or anything like that. That was the reason I came over to Australia because I wanted to play for the Wallabies.
“…I was (in Australia) for school. I watched the Wallabies play from year seven right up until now and I heartily feel like I was here for a more influential part of my life. I’m speaking with a more Aussie than English accent, which doesn’t make you feel too English to be honest.
“It’s a pleasure to be with the Wallabies and certainly I feel very Australian.”
With his rise comes the increase in puns around his name, born months apart from the release of the famous wizarding book.
His Wallabies teammates are sticking with the ‘wizard’ nickname now, but Potter is ready for any creativity the UK audience is willing to fling his way.
“It’s a good challenge for journalists to see if they can think of a unique or original Harry Potter pun. There are a few and far between,” he joked.
“It’s been 26 years of it, so it’s pretty funny, I reckon. And yeah, tip my hat if you think of something original.
“‘Slips’ (James Slipper) asked me what I like to be called, and I told him a few things, and he then decided Wizard was probably the best idea.”
Potter is refusing to let himself dream too far ahead about cracking the squad for the Allianz Stadium (formally Twickenham) clash with his old coach and team-mates, working hard to earn his spot in the squad.
“It would be awesome. I’d love to play that game. Perhaps a bit of a long shot, being in the squad for four days now,” he added.
“First game of the tour, it’s going to be massive…Coming up against England at Twickenham, it’s got to be up there with the number one test matches to play on the calendar.
“…I’ve watched Test matches there, and I think that’ll be a different kettle of fish (than playing club matches there). It’s an awesome place, a proper rugby stadium.”
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