England No. 8 Alex Dombrandt reveals he has deleted his Twitter account over social media criticism following England’s disappointing Six Nations campaign…and claims he has ‘nothing to prove’ at international level
- Alex Dombrandt explained how he removed himself from social media’s firing line
- The Harlequins No 8 were part of England’s disappointing Six Nations campaign
- He was the target of a harsh online backlash but says he has nothing to prove
Alex Dombrandt has explained how he chose to remove himself from social media’s firing line following fierce criticism of his and England’s Six Nations campaign.
The No. 8 Harlequins started the base scrum for the national team during the 2023 Championship, which ended late last month.
But he was the target of a harsh online backlash as Steve Borthwick’s side fell to three losses in their five games.
Dombrandt opened up about the difficult period after Quins was sent off from the Heineken Champions Cup by the Stormers in Cape Town last Saturday.
The 25-year-old was asked about the tough time he went through during the Six Nations and said: ‘Yeah, it’s never fun to lose. I loved playing for my country, it was a huge honor and a privilege. It’s a shame about a few results, but I enjoyed the experience.’
England’s Alex Dombrandt has revealed that he has left social media following social media criticism
The Harlequins No 8 were part of the team that lost three times during the 2023 Six Nations
But Dombrandt insists he has nothing to prove to those who question his international capabilities
When confronted about the mental challenge of dealing with scrutiny, expectation and criticism, he added, “I really try to ignore it.
‘Unfortunately, if things are not going well for you personally or as a team, there is always someone who has something to say about it.
“I think you have to take that at the level we’re playing at, surround yourself with good people, seek advice from those around you and try to ignore the negativity that doesn’t concern you.”
Dombrandt confirmed that he had deleted his Twitter account, saying, “I didn’t need it in my life, I guess.”
He also spoke of the support he received from friends and family, and at his club, adding: “We’re lucky at Quins to have guys like Joe Marler, DC (Danny Care) and Andre (Esterhuizen) who be seasoned internationals. you can ask for advice.
“It’s just a game in the end. We’re very privileged to be in this position and call it a job, so sometimes you have to take a few steps back to realize that.”
Despite facing strong views questioning his worth at the international level, Dombrandt insisted he would not use the comments that came his way to rile him up.
“I don’t feel like I have anything to prove,” he said. “I will bow my head, work hard, put in good performances for Quins and hopefully for England in the future.”