'He's a tough bugger': Bristol's verdict on the progress of 79kg scrum-half Harry Randall
Pat Lam has given a vote of confidence to young Harry Randall, claiming that the 23-year-old Bristol scrum-half – who is eligible for both England and Wales – can go all the way and become an international level regular.
It was in the Championship, during Bristol’s one-season stay at the start of the Lam era, when the coach first clapped eyes on the half-back. Attached to Gloucester at the time, Randall faced Bristol twice when playing for second-tier feeder club Hartpury College.
Lam was smitten. Come Bristol’s return to the Premiership, he made a successful play to get Randall on board and the relationship has gone from strength to strength, the No9 even scoring the fastest European try in history when he touched down after just 15 seconds against Toulon in the October final of the 2019/20 Challenge Cup final.
Bristol now head to reigning champions Exeter on Saturday for a top of the table Gallagher Premiership clash that will provide Randall – who tips the scales at 79kgs – with his 64th appearance after he was included in a selection looking to build on the New Year’s Day home win over Newcastle.
“I’m absolutely pleased with Harry,” enthused Lam heading into the meeting of two teams who have won four out of five matches are and level on 20 points apiece. “When he played for Hartpury against us in the Championship I said straight away who is this kid?
“The beauty is having a clear plan”
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“We did a bit of homework and were really keen to get him here. I loved the way that he played. A couple of things when he got here: we realised that while he is an unbelievable student of the game and tempo and all that, fitness needed to improve, key skills needed to improve.
“The lockdown, we got everyone to do certain skills. I have video footage of him box kicking and the quality of the kicking that he did. He was given certain drills. He had his partner and people videoing it and he sent it in for us to debrief and give him feedback.
“He’s reaping the rewards of the work that he has put in. He has naturally been a good rugby player, understands the game well, but he has put a massive effort in growing his game. But also his understanding of the Bears way and how we wanted him to play.
“When to bring tempo, when to slow it down, how his running lines link with the strike power that is around him, where is the best place to be to be in support. We have seen him score a few tries or set up a few. He just takes a lot of stuff on board, but he has a great feel for the game.
“Pound for pound he is one of the best tacklers I have seen. You will struggle to see him miss tackles and you see him do double, triple efforts. If you have a look at the Connacht game, in the corner they were hammering us and their second-rower (Eoghan) Masterson was carrying for the line.
“Him [Randall], Callum Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd, three of the smallest guys in our team, and all you see is the second-rower go up, driven back and loses the ball. It gets stripped by Callum Sheedy but when you look closely it’s Harry Randell who has picked him up and is driving him back.
“So he’s a tough bugger and I believe without a doubt he has got a huge future in the game and certainly will one day grace the international stage.”
Sheedy, Randall’s half-back partner, was one player who recently put to bed the speculation about which country he might play for at Test level, the out-half getting capped in the Autumn Nations Cup by Wales having turned out for England in their 2019 non-cap international versus the Barbarians at Twickenham.
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There's just no chance of catching Harry Randall! ??
The @BristolBears scrum-half combines with Nathan Hughes to clinch the try ?#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/pyqorbWli8
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 26, 2020
Born in England to English parents, Randall has Welsh connections but Lam isn’t hung up on which allegiance his player might eventually adopt. He just wants Randall, a 2016 Junior World Cup winner with England at U20s, to keep developing with Bristol to ensure he is ready to make the step-up when a call eventually comes.
“We have had a few of the boys that have dual nationality but one of the things I was talking to them about is they don’t have to make a decision, it’s up to the coaches of those teams to make the decision. Those guys have been blessed that they have connections like a lot of players in the world do just the way the world is.
“Whether you are a Polynesian growing up in the UK or whether you have an Irish father, a Welsh mother, it’s just the way the world is, but ultimately those decisions are more made by the selectors, the coaches of those teams.
“We saw that with Callum. Wayne (Pivac) was keen for Callum to be involved. He spoke to him and Callum jumped at the opportunity. All those guys I always say to them you have got to be selectable and what that means is play well for your club, keep growing.
“I always put a caveat when I say these guys have the ability to play at the next level – as long as they keep growing and improving. The moment they stop they become average again.”
TEAM NEWS ?
Here's how they line up for the fascinating top-of-the-table battle between @ExeterChiefs and @BristolBears ?
Who are you backing for the W?#GallagherPrem match preview ?? https://t.co/Hn5HdHLXQ5 pic.twitter.com/0H0zHoKCV8
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) January 8, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to comments