Archie relishing his chance to fill big boots of Dombrandt
AFTER back-to-back defeats, Archie White insists defending Premiership champions Harlequins have the necessary depth in their squad to ride out the Six Nations with their play-off hopes still intact.
Last season Quins benefitted from having very few international absentees and the continuity of selection afforded to the coaching team was a big factor in the club’s success.
Quins picked up five wins and 24 points from the seven rounds covering February and March but, this time around, they have begun with losses to bottom-of-the-table Bath and Sale while being without missing England quartet Marcus Smith, Alex Dombrandt, Joe Marler and Joe Marchant.
White came in for Dombrandt at No.8 against the Sharks and did a pretty good job at the back of the scrum. The Surrey-born 24-year-old is confident the setbacks are only a blip.
“It’s awesome to see the lads called up to the squad, it is a massive honour for them to represent their country and we are all really proud of them back here,” White said.
“It is a great opportunity for the young lads, myself included, to get on the pitch and have an opportunity to show what we can do. It’s good for them and good for us as well.
“They are obviously international level players and we do miss them when they are gone but we definitely have enough depth and enough talent within our squad to be able to step up.
“We are just trying to get back on the horse and back to where we were.
“As a group of lads it has almost made us a little bit tighter. Sometimes you have to go through some sticky situations to bond as a group and we have definitely done that.”
Even for the Premiership comeback kings, another come-from-behind victory was beyond Quins last Sunday as they slipped to a 38-14 home defeat to the Sharks.
But given they score the highest percentage of points in the final quarter and Saracens concede the most, you wouldn’t rule out another late show from Tabai Matson’s men.
“We don’t think about those things. We try and stay in the fight the whole time,” insisted White.
“I think we are fit enough and can compete for the full 80 minutes and, hopefully, we won’t make it too squeaky bum time at the end.
“Fitness plays a part but also we have a lot of belief in the squad, that’s massive.
“We are a tight-knit family and have got each other’s backs and we know we have the ability to score tries at any point.”
White added: “Sarries play a similar game to Sale. We know what they are going to bring, they bring a massive physical challenge, and their kicking game is something they thrive on.
“We will try to negate that and put our game on the pitch and try and play how we play.”
As the away team in this fixture Harlequins haven’t beaten Saracens since the first of their Premiership title-winning seasons in 2011/12.
What would it mean to Quins to end that ninematch barren run?
“It would be massive,” admitted White. “It’s the big game of the season for us, it is the big London derby.
“I don’t think we have got a great record there but we will look to put it straight on Sunday.
“The rivalry between the two clubs goes throughout Harlequins, even probably to the younger lads in the Under 18s.
“Sunday will be an interesting challenge and one we are definitely up for.”
Now in his sixth season as a senior player at the club, White has had to be patient. Shoulder and hamstring operations, but mainly the class of competition in front of him, have made opportunities few and far between.
Last weekend’s game was his first-ever start at No.8 and only his eighth overall in 28 Premiership appearances.
“It’s been a bit difficult at times but I’ve just been patient and sticking to the processes and the belief I have in myself. It is a very competitive back row,” he pointed out.
“It is great to have an opportunity now and, hopefully, I can take it with both hands.”