England star likens PREM teammate with ‘out and out raw pace’ to Cheslin Kolbe as new Harlequins captain named
England likens teammate with 'out and out raw pace' to Cheslin Kolbe as new Harlequins captain named
Cadan Murley has been confirmed as Harlequins ‘on-field’ captain for the 2026/27 season, while club captain Alex Dombrandt completes his rehabilitation from an ACL injury.
The 27-year-old has become a Harlequins man through and through after arriving at the Academy as a young man. He has been at the club for over a decade, becoming one of their most successful homegrown talents.
His recent graduation into the England senior side is a huge indication of his growth as a player and the immense talent that he has. But besides his ability on the field, he’s also known for his leadership qualities in and around the squad.
Hailing from a military family, Murley admitted that some of his father’s qualities have rubbed off on him.
Now one of the more senior members of the squad, Murley has taken on the responsibility of leading his squad, and part of that is to be a role model for the younger members as they begin their own journeys.
Cassius Cleaves – “A star of the future”
One such player, with a promising future ahead of him, is Cassius Cleaves – named after the great Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali]. Cleaves, a former star of the England age-grade sides, has shown glimpses of his electric speed for Harlequins, but we’re yet to see the full amount of what he can achieve.
“He’s had a bit of a rough run of injuries, which happens when you’re as explosive as he is,” Murley told Planet Rugby on Wednesday.
“He’s just finding his way, learning about his body. But whenever he’s on the pitch, he’s so explosive. I think you saw he played against Newcastle last year, tore up [and made] a line break for Leigh Halfpenny to score.
“It’s just keeping him fit and getting him minutes. I think he’s definitely a star of the future, and we see it in training week in week out. And I’m sure when he gets that run of games and that opportunity, when he gets to stay fit, he’ll tear up.”
With an unfortunate run of injuries, it can be difficult to return to the levels the athlete was at before. But Cleaves has youth and a ferocious natural athleticism on his side.
When asked which areas Cleaves should work on to get to that next level, Murley said: “It’s probably around his work rate in defence. He’s unbelievably quick, and it’s just getting conditioned to the men’s game.
“Wingers are required to do so much more than just finish now. Wingers have got to chase kicks, get the ball back for your team, create transition, be good in the air, all of that stuff.
“So it’s it’s conditioning yourself so you’re ready to then go into that and be able to do that for 80 minutes because you can’t just stand out on the wing and finish tries anymore. You’ve got to be so much more than that.”
Edward Sigauke – A name to remember
For all the frustration surrounding Harlequins’ results last season, there definitely appears to be a sense that the club is trying to turn their fortunes around.
The signing of George Furbank is an exciting one – despite his recent head injury, which will keep him out of the opening match against Bath. The other signing, which has gone somewhat under the radar, is that of Edward Sigauke, the Zimbabwe international.
“He is electric. His footwork, his power. We do jumps in the gym, and he’s doing single-leg jumps, the height of most people’s double-leg jump,” enthused Murley.
So who is he, and how did he come to Quins?
Sigauke is a 22-year-old winger who has a highlight reel that’ll scare any defender, and he helped Zimbabwe to win the Africa Cup title twice in a row, earning them qualification to the 2027 World Cup.
“He is definitely a star of the future,” continued Murley. “Very quiet, goes under the radar, but is so willing to learn. Will ask questions all the time. He’s definitely one to watch, a star of the future.”
Often young wingers are hyped up, never to hit the heights expected of them, but Sigauke has already been compared to the best.
“His footwork is up there with some of the best I’ve seen,” admitted Murley. “Obviously, I’ve played against Cheslin Kolbe, and he had some pretty good footwork to step me on the inside, but yeah, I’d liken his footwork to that. But he’s also got out and out raw pace as well. So yeah, he’s definitely one to watch.”
