Trying to catch a flash in a bottle of cider would be only marginally more difficult than curbing Bristol’s dazzling action straining game at the moment. The Bears averaged 50 points per game by winning five league games in a row, and are playing with a freedom and dynamism few of their playoff rivals can match ahead of Saturday’s crucial visit to Leicester.
Harry Randall, their pocket dynamo, set the tone leading his team across the field at such a whirring pace that they blow up their opponents. Last week they put 85 points on an unfortunate Newcastle, and when Randall played for the last time at Welford Road a few months ago, he played in England A’s 91-5 win over Portugal, highlighting his credentials as a class catalyst that could add an extra spark to the England A team.
There are only two things that could slow him down in the final weeks of the domestic season, and their names are Lyla and Noa. Randall and his partner Kelsey are proud parents of seven-week-old twins, and the Scrum-half’s signature energy is currently being put to the test. “The days of sitting on the couch and watching sports for the rest of the afternoon have all but disappeared,” he says ironically. “I can still watch a little bit, but they are busy with other things like feeding and changing diapers.”
If Bristol maintain their upward trajectory and win the Gallagher Premiership job, it could still be that Kelsey qualifies for a medal of his own as he has generously allowed Harry to get some extra sleep when he needs it. “We tried to come up with a small plan, because I need to sleep well before big days of training and games. The day before the games, she allows me to go to the guest room. I’ll feed a little before going to bed, then I’ll go there and retire.”
So far it has paid off. Randall is the “zip zip” man who takes advantage of all the gaps left by the tiring opposing defenders, and his energizing rabbit routine helps to get the most out of those around him. Fingertip passes, deft dumps, countless supporting runners; Pat LAM’s team threw the ball only four times during the entire Newcastle game.
It is the exciting product of a collective realization in the middle of winter that a previously disappointing campaign had to be saved. “We made the decision in the middle of the season that we all have to stick to the way we play and really get there,” Randall said. “There are a few things we are really focusing on. One of them is our way of thinking and saying, “Okay, we’re going to actionstarting teams and give them a real crisis.”The second is to improve our skills. If we want to play any form of rugby, our skills have to be up to date. This places a great responsibility on the individual to buckle up and nail what they need to do.”
It also happens that it fits perfectly with Randall’s game. When he last started with England at the 2022 Six Nations tournament, there was not the same actionstartinging license that has surfaced recently, but he feels that rugby could return to his way of thinking. “In recent years, the kicking game has been the way to play rugby. South Africa has won two World Cups with it and you can’t smack it. But I think the teams are trying to be a little more rude now. I think this is important for the future of the game. It’s all about the viewers and they want to have tramps in the seats. You want people to be excited and attract crowds.”
If the Bears, fourth, can continue – “We managed to put ourselves in a good position – it will also increase Randall’s chances of touring with England this summer. Growing up in the Amman Valley, he represented Welsh age groups, but his parents are English and his desire to play test rugby remains stronger than ever.