Care: Let Alex Dombrandt show just how great he is

DANNY Care has urged Eddie Jones to not just pick Alex Dombrandt but stick with him throughout the entire Autumn campaign.

Harlequins scrum-half Care believes it is time for his clubmate to be given a run of games and made a focal point of an England pack which faces challenges against Tonga, Australia and South Africa.

Head coach Jones finally buckled under pressure from many sides to give Dombrandt his debut against Canada in July, and the powerful No.8 was able to show the skill, strength and ball-carrying prowess he regular demonstrates in a Quins jersey.

With Billy Vunipola left out of the recent England training camp and clearly still to prove to Jones he is the same player who was England's rock for so long, Care feels Dombrandt's name deserves to be one of the first on the team sheet.

“I'd love to see Dommers get an extended run in the shirt,” said Care. “It's hard if he just gets thrown in for one game. He played in the summer Tests but no disrespect to Canada, it wasn't against really, really tough opposition.

“If he can get three games against Tonga, Australia and South Africa, a real taste of what international rugby is like, he is only going to get better. The better the players you put around him, the better Alex Dombrandt will be.

“He is a guy who plays what he sees. He reads the game really well and hits lines that a lot of people don't see. He is a smart player who wants to work hard and play for England.”

Quins look set to find out this winter just how difficult it is to back up last season's amazing success with so many of their players now firmly in the England picture.

At least five of the men who helped wrench the title from Exeter's grasp at Twickenham in June appear poised for regular call-ups with England, so the Quins squad will be tested to the hilt.

Youngsters Dombrandt, Marcus Smith, Louis Lynagh and Jack Kenningham, experienced plus loosehead Joe Marler, will be in hot demand but Care insists: “The more players we get named in the England squad is when you test the strength in depth of your squad.

“Last year we were lucky we only lost one or two to England and everything went alright for us but it's a tough one – you kind of suffer for your own success.

“If the team does really well then more of your players will be away.

“More lads get the opportunity to put their hands up and those that go away to bigger and better things hopefully come back better players for it. So it's a win, win.”

Care is confident Quins will cope with those changes with so many talented young players coming through.

“It is one of those things that comes with the territory,” he says.

“The more players who get game time and feel more involved is only going to be a good thing for the squad in general.”

By GARY FITZGERALD