Harlequins’ ‘free’ style opens up a new dimension for Dombrandt
Hengland would benefit from backing their intuitive players to express themselves in same way as creators at the Stoop
Part of the reason that Harlequins’ success has felt so refreshing is because their approach frees up their most intuitive players. It does not seem as though anyone is restricted by coaching.
As well as Marcus Smith, the impish conductor, Alex Dombrandt personifies this outlook. The 24-year-old No8’s instincts are so sharp. And they are being allowed to flourish at Harlequins.
Dombrandt threw two deft tryscoring passes against Bristol Bears on Friday evening before plucking an interception to run 40 metres and cap his exceptional individual performance in a 52-24 victory. The most eye-catching moments came in the 15-metre channels, although he is capable of cutting angles off the shoulders of half-backs and slicing up the middle.
Nick Evans, Harlequins’ attack and backs coach, implores his players to manipulate defences by filling the field. “Use the real estate,” is a favourite phrase. One aspect of his post-match analysis each week is tallying up the number of times his team were poised to attack on both sides of a breakdown.
As for a game plan during phaseplay, the canvas is not quite blank. Certain forwards are encouraged to move towards the touchlines while colleagues, such as Joe Marler, hold central roles.
Loosely, the pack spread out in a 1-3-3-1 formation with backs weaving around that framework hunting for the ball. This came to life in the eighth minute at the Twickenham Stoop. Dombrandt was close to a defensive ruck in the Bristol 22 as the visitors fashioned a break through Harry Randall, who kicked ahead, with Dombrandt drifting towards the right touchline.
Tyrone Green covered for Harlequins and countered from full-back. By the time he was caught on Harlequins’ 10-metre line, the hosts had already begun to manipulate Bristol.
Cadan Murley and Joe Marchant filled the space between the ruck and the left touchline. On the opposite side, forwards Dino Lamb, Jack Kenningham and Simon Kerrod had assembled. With defenders concerned
‘We tell our players if they are in space, to stay in that space and we’ll get the ball to them’
about Murley and Marchant, space opened up on the right.
Danny Care fed Tommy Allan and Louis Lynagh abandoned his wing after sniffing an opportunity. He darted through a second midfield pod of three forwards to offer himself to Allan. Dombrandt – the ‘1’ of the 1-3-3-1 formation on the edge of the Harlequins’ line – would have scored but for a forward pass.
Economy of movement is often an effective means of escaping from defenders. “We tell players if they are in space to stay in space,” explains Evans. “Then we’ll get the ball to them.”
That said, proactivity is encouraged at Harlequins, too. Evans says Dombrandt “has an unbelievable, natural feel for the game” and often “knows where the ball is going to end up”.
Harlequins’ third try on Friday, was laid on for Andre Esterhuizen by Dombrandt’s beautiful onehanded offload and Evans added: “He has licence to work around, but he also understands how we want to play and how to pick up the ball in the most advantageous positions.
“He does carry through the middle with those hard lines across our shape. Sometimes you have to allow for that. We’ll train for unstructured rugby. If someone sees an opportunity, it’s about being really positive about it so everyone backs it and we play off it.”
With England facing Tonga in three weeks, intrigue is growing over whether Eddie Jones will unleash these skills in the same way.
“I’m not sure of England’s systems and structures but, if you are going to allow Dombrandt to move wide and play in those wide channels, then you need people to do the hard work up the front,” Evans says. “We have guys like James Chisholm, Matt Symons, Joe Marler, Wilco Louw and Dino Lamb. We recruit big centres who offer themselves in the middle. If England were to take out Billy [Vunipola] – or another big player like Mako [Vunipola] or Manu [Tuilagi] – then someone would have to fill the void.
“It might be that Tom Curry or Courtney Lawes operates there to allow Dombrandt to work in those wider channels as well as through
the middle.” On his Test debut against Canada in June, Dombrandt appeared to be given freedom. In one second-half sequence, he offered himself off the shoulder of Henry Slade and cut through the middle. Although his offload to Randall did not stick, Dombrandt edged out towards the near touchline.
After Canada cleared, England kept possession and Dombrandt released Adam Radwan for a try. In the space of a minute, the No 8 went looking for the ball before letting it find him. England toyed with a 1-32-2 formation during last year’s Six Nations, most obviously against Italy. With Martin Gleeson taking the reins as attack coach two years out from the next World Cup, this autumn could be a springboard towards creating a definitive identity with ball in hand.
Picking Dombrandt, particularly in tandem with Smith, would be an endorsement of how Harlequins have trusted their players’ instincts and allowed them to thrive.