Towering lock Rory Arnold says he has more to offer the Wallabies in his second coming as a Test player after being named to start against Scotland on Monday (AEDT).
Arnold will make his first appearance for the Wallabies since their quarter-final World Cup exit in 2019, when he shifted his career off-shore to France.
Big body Will Skelton and versatile veteran Kurtley Beale have been included on the bench for the Murrayfield Test.
Arnold felt “bad” about being jettisoned into the starting team at the expense of squad members such as Matt Philip and Darcy Swain, although his new teammates had been nothing but welcoming.
“Personally, I feel a bit bad,” Arnold said.
“I’m rooming with Darcy (Swain) and know all the locks here well.
“They’ve been very helpful with going over lineouts and what I need to get my head around.”
Arnold joined Stade Toulousain – better known as Toulouse – who are the reigning Top 14 and European Rugby Champions Cup champions.
The 31-year-old said being part of the French powerhouse club developed his mental skills as well as rugby assets.
Can the Wallabies turn it around against the Pumas? (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
“They do things a bit differently in Europe and playing in some big games up there and just understanding, with some moments around set piece are so vital,” Arnold said.
“I’m just a bit more relaxed in the big games – I’ve played in few more now.”
“I’ve learnt how to control my emotions better and how to settle into games a bit better.”
Arnold said when he walked away from the Wallabies he thought his Test career was “done and dusted,” so was excited when coach Dave Rennie came calling. He was almost part of the Rugby Championship in 2020 but suffered an untimely broken arm.
“I absolutely didn’t think I would be back as I didn’t fit the 60-cap criteria.
“I thought I was finishing my Wallabies career then … it’s pretty surreal, and good to be back in the environment.
“There’s a good vibe in the group at the moment and I’m happy and glad to be part of it.”
He said decisions on his eligibility would come from Rugby Australia but he would always make himself available.
“I’ll always put my hand up to pull the jersey on but those things are up to the people above me and we’ll see what happens.”
HiKa
Roar Rookie
BTW only WB's forwards from 54-24 loss 4 years ago are Hooper and T.Tupou. Only back from that match, curiously, is Beale. Scotland have 6 from that team: halves, Price & Russell; props, Fagerson & Bhatti; plus lock Gilchrist and of course Hamish Watson. Biggest change is Scotland still have Gregor Townsend coaching while WB's switched to Rennie. Advantage to the WB's I'd reckon.
HiKa
Roar Rookie
Gee, if Scotland win they will equal their record winning streak against the WB's of three (yes, 3) last achieved 1975-82. WB's then won 16 straight from 1982-2009.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Some tips . Richie is almost as good. Phillip is better than Rhodda.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Mate, you better load old "Mons Meg" if yu ou Scots are any chance.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Can’t believe I have to wait another day for the game! I thought it would have been last night.
Kashmir Pete
Roar Guru
Impressive comments. IMO our most valuable player as a Wallaby. Now says he will be better 2nd time round. His modesty is believable. We can go real deep in 2023. :shocked: Cheers KP
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Maybe jettisoned from the RA trash heap into the team? A subbie might then have edited out the extra words to make the paragraph more pleasing to the eye. I was worried he was turning mentally soft, but maybe all that jettisoning gave him an upset stomach.
UnvaxedTahsfanboy
Roar Rookie
The Abs? Nah I first heard it about the Dons as a kid. Many teams use from the Pies, Tahs, B.Lions, Wallabies and Abs etc..
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
You are correct. Anything in the Cheika age post World Cup 2015 is a blip in Aussie rugby to us. I’m that time, we lost everything and became a shell of a team, a burnt-out desolate team, a team haunted by the demons of their past, a team who wandered out into the wasteland. And it was here, in this blighted place, that we are learning to play again.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
I should have been more clear biltong… I meant 3 tries and 30 points the Boks did not manage.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
UT… You are using the All Blacks meaning of the jersey, but I still like it.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Or maybe torpedoed in :shocked:
BrotherBart
Guest
We flogged you Aussies last time. Put 50 points on you. Welcome to Edinburgh, you are going to get a serve.
biltong
Guest
Uhm, the Boks scored three tries in the first test. They can do it, if they play rugby.
UnvaxedTahsfanboy
Roar Rookie
Dont feel bad at all. Noone owns the jersey, there are only caretakers and it must always go to the best in the position!
Purdo
Roar Rookie
"Parachuted"?
Art3mis
Roar Rookie
Tony, that scoreline implies Wallabies not scoring a try. It is not often that happens even when the wallabies are walloped. I’d respectfully suggest you are over-rating the Scot’s defensive abilities even if they end up on the right side of the ledger. Even Italy scored a try against them in the last 6 nations. Curiously, the English didn’t, so maybe you are on to something . . .
Paulo
Guest
Maybe “catapulted’ would work better?
Art3mis
Roar Rookie
‘Railroaded’ might be closer in intended meaning but does not quite work either – implies a certain level of coercion. He has definitely been ‘fast-tracked’ though, but there is no queue as such.
HiKa
Roar Rookie
How can one be "jettisoned into the starting team" when jettisoned means tossed overboard?