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Fans question Jones over Dombrandt exclusion as Harlequins star shines again
Harlequins’ 41-14 win over Saracens at The Stoop on Sunday finished a gruelling week for the reigning champions as they were overwhelmed by their London rivals.
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The home side blitzed to an early 19-0 lead and never let it go in a performance that saw them climb up to sixth in the table, only one point behind the top four. While this was a good display for Harlequins in terms of their season, it was a major statement from some of their players, particularly with the Six Nations starting this weekend.
Eddie Jones named his England squad last week, with some noticeable absences from Harlequins, chiefly No8 Alex Dombrandt. This omission was only magnified by the recent broken arm to Billy Vunipola, as well as rivals Sam Simmonds and Nathan Hughes also missing out.
@Alex_dombrandt was immense. I love watching him play!! Well done Quins ????
— kara holton (@HoltonKara) January 26, 2020
Best Quins performance I’ve seen for years. Best opening 20 mins of any game of the season. I know people are talking about Dombrandt, but Marcus Smith was exceptional. Set up nearly all the tries. Mesmerising to watch. England shirt for him soon, please! (Just out of season…)
— CakeDan (@CakeDan5) January 26, 2020
However, it took only a matter of minutes of the contest on Sunday for Dombrandt to showcase his talents, setting up Danny Care for the opening try of the match. His deft hands put the scrumhalf into the gap, then he showed his strength upon receiving the ball to deliver a one-handed offload to his teammate.
Get Alex Dombrandt in the England squad that pass he threw to Danny Care after winning a crucial turnover was brilliant #SixNations #EnglandRugby #AlexDombrandt #HARvSAR
— Fred Blagden (@fredblagden) January 27, 2020
How is @Alex_dombrandt not in the England 6 Nations squad?!? Another ridiculous offload… https://t.co/gISzx6Ah02
— Angus Rendall ? ????????? ? #FBPE #GTTO (@finknottle75) January 26, 2020
The No8’s brute force has never been questioned, but he showed his subtle hands at times throughout the match and made an almighty statement to the England head coach.
Jones has recently said that the 22-year-old does not have the workrate that he requires. Although he may not get through the number of carries Vunipola may in a match, he was no slouch against Saracens, and it is a case of the quality of each carry which marks him out.
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As a @Saracens fan, all I can say is well played @Harlequins you dominated the game today. It also baffles me how @Alex_dombrandt isn't getting call up to the @EnglandRugby squad is beyond me, clearly the best number 8 in England at the money
— Rhys Shipley (@RhysShipley) January 26, 2020
Eddie Jones’ ego is why I think Dombrandt isn’t in the England squad. He sees everyone taking about him and doesn’t want to be forced into it. Dombrandt, IMO, is the best number 8 in the Prem. Crazy from Jones. https://t.co/yG86c3gxby
— Marcello Cossali-Francis (@Mcossalifrancis) January 26, 2020
The 35-man squad named last week will likely change through the course of the Six Nations, and Dombrandt must be one player hoping for a call-up over the next two months.
Elsewhere, his teammate Marcus Smith also sent a timely reminder to Jones after being overlooked in favour of Wasps’ 21-year-old flyhalf Jacob Umaga last week. His man of the match performance was an indication of why Jones has taken such a keen interest in the 20-year-old over the past couple of years.
What more do Alex Dombrandt & Marcus Smith have to do to get in Eddie Jones England squad?#HARvSAR
— Going for the ? (@Lpool_5843) January 26, 2020
Feel pretty confident now this man will feature for England in the coming months… pure class @Alex_dombrandt https://t.co/uVfroZIB4w
— Hamish Percy (@hamish_percy) January 26, 2020
While there must have undoubtedly been an air of disappointment amongst some Harlequins players last week, and indeed amongst clubs across England, they have bounced back in perfect fashion.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments