Those under his command include a trio capped by Wales, Rhys Carre, Shane Lewis-Hughes and Owen Lane. The same can be said of another trio from the other side, England forwards Tom Curry, Ben Earl and Nick Isiekwe.
Within three seasons of losing that schoolboy international by two points, the scrum-half from Llandovery College had moved from heading his adoptive country’s youngest under-age team to helping his native England win the Junior Six Nations and reach the final of the Junior World Cup. It would appear to be just a matter of time before his role-reversal of that occasion at Neath turns full circle.
Instead of fizzing the passes out off either hand for Wales against England, he will be firing them out in the opposite direction. Saturday’s Red Rose attempt to knock Wales off their improbable perch and deny them the most surprising of Triple Crowns may come a bit too soon but no English player can have had a Welsh education to match Randall’s.
That is some claim considering some of those who have gone before him like Stuart Barnes (Bassaleg School and Newport), John Scott (Cardiff), Julian White (Bridgend), Tony Swift, Mark Keyworth (both Swansea), Colin ‘After Shave’ Smart, Jon Callard (both Newport), Ben Morgan (Scarlets) and the Vunipola brothers (Pontypool).
This story is from the February 21, 2021 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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This story is from the February 21, 2021 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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