Hat-trick Alex looks ‘a must’ for Eddie
QUINS boss Tabai Matson says Alex Dombrandt would make a big difference in England’s Six Nations campaign if Eddie Jones throws him the jersey from the start.
The dynamic tryscoring forward signed off for international duty with a stunning hat-trick in a dramatic last gasp win over Castres.
Dombrandt gave Jones, who also has the likes of Alfie Barbeary, Sam Simmonds and Tom Curry as his other No.8 options, a huge nudge in his direction with a man-ofthe-match display.
He sealed a trademark Quins victory at the death with his third try deep into added time as the Londoners made it four Champions Cup wins in Pool B and progressed to the round of 16 as the second ranked side.
And Quins senior coach Matson claimed: “He is a special player who creates special moments. There are few in his position who can do that. I think he would make a big difference at the next level.”
Dombrandt would love to start against Scotland but his thoughts were only on making sure he left The Stoop in good shape for a strong European camclub
paign. He said: “When things are not going our way we always stay in the fight. We’ve done it so many times we know we can do it. We just had to stay calm and controlled and get the job done.
“We targeted getting out of our pool because the
has not done that for a while and we will relish the knock-out phase.”
Dombrandt is just the third Quins players to score a hat-trick in the main European Cup completion – the last one was by Irish legend Jim Staples back in 1996, six months before Dombrandt was born.
Castres swept into an early 13-0 lead with two fine tries. After former Quin Ben Botica’s penalty, captain Gaetan Barlot sneaked down the blindside following a lineout for the opening try. Then wing Antoine Zeghadar crossed after a slick scrum move.
Dombrandt was soon in the thick of the action, powering his way over in the left corner after Cadan Murley’s surge forward.
Botica kicked another penalty when flanker Viliami Taulani was penalised for not releasing but Scotland centre Huw Jones celebrated his first Quins try since his summer move, being in the right place when Tommy Allan hacked forward and caused the ball to bounce into Jones’ hands.
Quins took the lead through flanker Viliami Taulani crashing his way over after a maul had been dragged down short of the Castres line.
Joe Marler was sent to the sin bin for deliberately stepping on scrum-half Rory Kockott’s hand. Castres kicked the resulting penalty for a lineout from which wing Filipo Nakosi charged down the left and fed Kockott who burst over.
Allan’s penalty reduced Castres’ lead to 23-22 at the break but the hosts were in front soon afterwards with Dino Lamb sending Dombrandt strolling over for his second. The powerful Nakosi responded by charging his way over for Castres’ bonus point try from Botica’s crossfield kick.
Marler gave England an injury scare when he hyper-extended his knee but was able to carry on after treatment. Botica muffed a try when, after weaving his way through, he inexplicably dropped the ball from his left hand a foot from the line. Castres wing Adrea Cocagi dived across for a try as Marcus Smith came on as a late replacement.
But the last word was left to Dombrandt as he stretched out a long arm and, several replays later, Scotland referee Mike Adamson signalled the winning try which Smith converted.