'Second rows of his size and calibre are like teddy bear s***'
One of the downsides of the annual Guinness Six Nations is how the spotlight turns away from the Gallagher Premiership and some heartwarming stories don’t get the attention they would receive at other times in the calendar. Last month’s Sale debut by Dom Barrow was an example.
Not since a January 2019 Premiership Cup appearance for Northampton versus Leicester had he featured at club level in England. However, there he was last month, jumping off the mid-February AJ Bell bench to play as a sub for Sale and bridge that yawning 37-month gap.
What gives? It was March 2019 when he suddenly exited Frankin’s Gardens by “mutual consent” and after then apparently rejecting a switch to Japan, he announced in February 2020 that he was leaving behind rugby to focus on a managing director role with an electric vehicle charging point installation company.
Having started out at Leeds with a November 2010 debut and then played for Newcastle, Leicester and La Rochelle, that looked to be that as far as rugby was concerned for the lock who described as crushing the 2017 situation where he was named in an initial England squad for their summer trip to Argentina only to then be omitted when the tour party was confirmed.
However, his stint in the real world re-energised his passion for rugby and with Sale agreeing to take Barrow on a six-week trial, his vital statistics (6ft 7 and 120kgs) were always likely to impress Sharks boss Sanderson.
The second row Barrow hasn’t played since a second appearance as a replacement at Northampton on February 19, but Sale have every faith that their signing of a seasoned forward who only turns 29 next Saturday (March 19) will be richly rewarded in the long run. Quizzed by RugbyPass on why he was tempted into giving Barrow a shot despite his long time away from rugby, Sanderson explained that he knew just a week into the six-week trial he would be signing the one-time England prospect.
“It is unusual but he probably retired or had a sabbatical from the game at the best of times because of covid so he didn’t miss a lot of rugby. When everyone else would usually be progressing their game and getting fitter and stronger, he was out at that time just finding himself in terms of what he wanted out of life during that period. All the circumstances played into his hands for his time off.
“He hasn’t been involved the last couple of weeks because when he came on he jammed his knees together and got a mini fracture, like a bone fracture on his knee which was only a two or three-week thing, so he would have been involved the last couple of weeks as well which shows you how much we rate him and how far he has come.
“He has surprised me,” continued Sanderson about surprise Sale recruit Barrow. “He came on a trial agreement for six weeks and after seeing him move and talk within a week, I was like, ‘You’re good, we want you. We’ll sign you, your future is here’ – just to give him some kind of stability. That was a week after he came back which shows you the work that he had done away from here to get himself up to speed.
“He didn’t come in fresh, he came in having done runs around the park and he was talking to himself in rugby language, so he looked like a crazy person running about his local park. He is really, really studious because he was working nine to five and a little bit longer with his company.
“He now sees a rugby day as too short a day for him to fulfil his potential so he is first in, last out, catching up on all that lost time through an increased work ethic of what the real world is like. In terms of his maturation you often find that the rugby bubble is stark – players now just go from school into an academy into a professional environment and that is all they know.
“As a result, they are not as well rounded as a person as you find from those who have retired, who have worn a few scars through life, who understand what it is to be resilient. He has fast-tracked all of that in the time he has spent on reflection for what he wants and what he values in life, not just sport,” continued Sanderson whose Sale team continued their charge up the table with Saturday’s 26-24 win over Gloucester.
“So the conversations I have with him tend to be a little deeper, more on the level of St Peter’s than coach-player because he has had that experience away from a club which is why I get the thinking he is going to be a great, great signing for us. I think we will see the best of him, I really do. That’s the aim.
“We will see the best of him in an age where second rows of his size and calibre are like teddy bear s*** and he has just walked through the front door – I can’t believe my luck. We have both talked about the only thing that could derail him.
“Physically he is there, mentally he is on it, he is a really smart lad and the only thing that could derail him is if he loses his passion and his want and desire to play the game if he gets disenfranchised again. That is my job and his to make sure that he stays on track in motivational terms.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope WRU cops a 12 month ban.
1 Go to commentsOuch. Pumped. Even Nohamba is a better flyhalf than Ford.
2 Go to commentsI hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
2 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
30 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets 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?
13 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.
10 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.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 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.
27 Go to comments