Not long ago the Harlequins player was enjoying himself at university – now he is poised to start for England against Italy
For every aspiring England international the road to the summit is a long and winding one. Not since Hannibal marched his elephants over the Alps, though, has a player taken such a less-travelled route to Rome than Alex Dombrandt, already the toast of student unions nationwide as he prepares to start a Six Nations game for the first time at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
Not too long ago, Dombrandt was enjoying himself at Cardiff Metropolitan University, where he had enrolled hoping to play both cricket and rugby, having never featured in England’s age-group sides or academies. Now the Harlequins No 8, still only 24, is about to start a match for his country, is a Premiership title-winner and is on course to be a key part of Eddie Jones’s 2023 World Cup plans.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/feb/11/alex-dombrandt-england-harlequins-rugby-proud-different-route under the title “Alex Dombrandt: ‘I’m proud I went down a different route to the norm’”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
