ALEX IS A WHITE NOW
Dombrandt cut international teeth with Wales youngsters
ALEX DOMBRANDT wants to be on the right side of a result in an EnglandWales fixture after experiencing defeat... wearing aWales jersey.
The England No.8 was a replacement for Wales Under-20s when they lost 37-21 to their rivals at Colwyn Bay in 2017.
But he will wear the white of England at Twickenham on Saturday, when he could run out with three opponents from that day five years ago.
Nick Isiekwe, Harry Randall and Tom Curry were in the England side facing Dombrandt, who was studying PE at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
He played his first men’s rugby in Wales and Cardiff offered him a contract to stay, but he hooked up with Harlequins when he graduated.
Dombrandt, 24, has progressed to England’s senior squad with the other three and said: “They were very impressive. It wasn’t a great day for myself.We lost quite convincingly but I look back at those games fondly. “They helped me become the player
I am today by exposing me at international level, albeit at age grade. I look forward to running out with those boys instead of playing against them.
“I spent three years at Cardiff Met. On and off the pitch it shaped me into the person I am.”
Wales back-rower Aaron Wainwright was one of his college pals and the pair cut their teeth playing against some ferocious Welsh clubs as students.
So Dombrandt knows what is coming England’s way, at a ground whereWales have not won since 2015.
He said: “England-Wales games are always physical so I expect that.
“It’s going to be a challenge but it’s one that we’re excited for.We want to go after the game, go after Wales and try to have a fast start.” A win for
Cardiff Met shaped me into the person I am
England would keep their Six Nations title hopes bubbling, with matches against Ireland and France to come, but it is the same forWales.
Joe Marchant and Joe Launchbury are out of the game after
Eddie Jones trimmed his squad. The head coach has kept 25 players in camp, including Manu
Tuilagi and Courtney
Lawes who are primed for their first games of this Six
Nations.
Isiekwe and prop Joe Marler are in after missing a training get-together last week. Exeter wing Jack Nowell has recovered from concussion and is retained. Attack coach Martin Gleeson says they are treating the next three games as winner-takes-all affairs.
He said: “We’ve got to go into this with a quarter-final mentality and go afterWales. “If we don’t get the result on Saturday, we’re out.” ❑ NEWCASTLE director of rugby Dean Richards will face an RFU disciplinary panel tonight for his outburst at officials after Sunday’s 15-14 defeat by Exeter.