Young England winger Henry Arundell has knocked back interest from two NRL clubs, according to his agent.
Arundell’s agent, Ryan Shahin, reacted strongly to rumours in the Australian media linking clubs to the 21-year-old.
Reports in News Corp media suggested Arundell’s agents had reached out seeking opportunities, rather than the other way around.
“Players of Henry’s calibre generate almost constant interest. Whilst we have had a couple of enquiries recently from NRL sides, these are not something Henry has entertained or considered in any way, and we were clear in our response,” Shahin told the Daily Mail.
“Any reports of a possible move to rugby league are false. Henry is excited for the remainder of the season with Racing – and hopefully with England.”
The Mail said the two clubs who showed interest in Arundell were the Dolphins and Wests Tigers.
The NRL has an initiative to allow clubs salary camp exemptions to recruit from outside of rugby league.
Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase has met with Sydney Roosters over his future.
Arundell was given his Test debut by Eddie Jones when he was England coach last year and he made an instant impact in the Perth Test coming on as a late replacement and scoring an exhilarating try.
That appearance was set up by a training ground try that wowed Jones.
“Henry scored…how long is the field, 100 metres? He scored a 90-metre try at training on Wednesday. There were a few, I won’t use the expletives, ‘he’s fast!’ heard,” Jones said in Perth.
Henry Arundell of England runs to score a scores a try during game one of the international test match series between the Australian Wallabies and England at Optus Stadium on July 02, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)
“We had a number of coaches from different sports watching and they heard this comment.
“He scored a try not many other players in the world would have scored. It was like a try Bryan Habana used to score – one of those.
“He could be a very good player but he’s got a long way to go. We feel like if he continues his development and we’re able to give him some game time on this tour, by the World Cup he could be a significant player.”
Jones’ replacement at England – Steve Borthwick – seemed less enamoured by Arundell, who also suffered from England’s less than expansive style of play in France as the tournament progressed – although he showed his class with five tries against Chile.
Arundell has just joined Paris club Racing 92 and scored a hat-trick on debut last weekend and will be available for the Six Nations in February due to a special dispensation after the financial collapse of London Irish left him without a club team.
Lions players cleared for Aussie tour
The British & Irish Lions have announced a partnership with England’s Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship that ensures players are available for the 2025 tour to Australia.
The partnership will allow Lions players from the two leagues to be available for all pre-tour activities as well as marketing and promotional activities.
The deal comes after several players from the Premiership were unavailable for preparations ahead of the 2021 tour when a warm-up Test against Japan clashed with the Premiership final.
“It is crucial that this agreement benefits not just the British & Irish Lions but also Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship,” Lions CEO Ben Calveley said in a statement.
“Our ambition is to make 2025 the greatest Lions tour ever and we believe the opportunities for collaboration across marketing, promotional and wider activity will add significant value to all organisations.”
Premiership Rugby CEO Simon Massie-Taylor said giving the players the best possible preparation time was vital for both the Lions and the league.
“We are now looking forward to seeing as many Premiership Rugby players as possible competing for a Test jersey and hopefully experience being on a winning tour,” he said.
The Lions will play three Tests against Australia as well as taking on five Super Rugby franchises and an invitational team made up of players from Australia and New Zealand.
Lawes backs Curry
The England team aren’t letting racial slur accusations against South African Bongi Mbonambi go away quietlyu.
Tom Curry, who accused the Springbok of calling him a “white c—” during the World Cup, and in an incident in 2022, doubled down on his accusation earlir this week.
Now his teammate Courtney Lawes has backed him on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast.
Asked if he thought Curry had been let down, Lawes replied: “I do because he will know it was said to him.
“We’re not stupid. If people are running around saying ‘wit kant’ [white side] or whatever they’re saying has been said, that’s completely different to when someone looks in your eyes and tells you something.”
Lawes added there had been other incidents involving “(Curry) and other lads in the team.”
The ex-England flanker added: “I don’t know what’s happened, I wasn’t there at the time, I didn’t see it and I didn’t know what was going on until a day later when it all came out.
“Look, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if that was the case (that a racial slur was used). I’m not saying it is, I’m not saying it isn’t, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
“Regardless, Cuz has a right to say what has happened.”
Lawes said Curry had struggled with the online abuse following the alleged incident.
“Cuz is a really good bloke but he can struggle with stuff like that sometimes,” he said.
“I spoke to him the day after and I just said: ‘look, you know what happened. You’ve said to the ref: ‘he’s called me this’,’ and that’s that.
“Essentially, that’s all you’ve got to do. You haven’t got to say you have an opinion about what’s happened. You haven’t got to say you feel offended or feel this way or that way.
“Just say what’s happened, state your case and then leave it to whoever wants to take it up. You don’t have to worry about it.
“I was just like, ‘mate, just park it. You don’t have to say a thing other than what has happened to you’.”
Force reveal new jersey design
The Western Force have released their 2024 playing jerseys. The club says they feature a fresh new design, including an Indigenous design showing the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) and the swirls in the water caused by the Fighting Maali (black swan) which appears on both front and back.
The away jersey features the state’s iconic black and gold colour scheme, harking back to Perth/Western Gold and upholding the heritage and tradition of rugby in WA.
Nyoongar artist Darryl Bellotti’s design ensures the Force represents WA’s proud indigenous heritage.
The 2024 jerseys also feature a more pronounced chevron on both home and away strips.
(With agencies)
adastra32
Roar Rookie
No problem with your diagnosis of the mismanagement of the club game in England. The house of cards had been predicted to topple for some time - largely, the short term and post-impact of COVID pushed the weaker clubs over the edge. The cynicism at the end though is not IMO the perception from those outside your "experts" - whoever they may be. If you watch the 'product' every week, it is a showcase for attractive, entertaining, and good quality rugby. Comparison with Super Rugby is false equivalence - they are different in too many ways. What the European leagues do generally though is expose players to a greater number of good quality games, and the chance also to play at an elite level via the European Cup. In comparison, SR is over in a flash, and the next level down does not bear comparison in terms of competitiveness and quality. So you have a young fly half like Carter Gordon at a RWC with much less experience under his belt than, say, Marcus Smith. This Smith appears to be now joined by another one, Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), who may well get his England debut soon. He is 21 and was playing in the Premiership at the now-defunct Worcester Warriors from the age of 19.
Ruckin' Oaf
Roar Rookie
Sure only the last 4 years, is that when O'Connor was playing? Or Lewis or even Messenger ?? :laughing:
Jutsy
Roar Rookie
This article and my original comment was about NH players (arundel and hansen) so its not my fault if you didnt read it properly. You will get no argument from me and most union supporters that the game is in dissaray in aus and will probably never come back, but its laughable to think nrl can compete with NH rugby which is what news corp outlets are claiming with the articles re arundel and hansen being nrl targets.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
OK, we have not only jumped countries now but hemispheres as well. I was talking about RA and the NRL. I wasn’t talking about any other country and I wasn’t trying to compete with the rest of the world. “Doubt any English/Irish/french union player even knows about origin” I think you would be surprised. Sky sports in the UK stream it live every year and all three games are televised in 91 different countries. There wouldn’t be many people who are interested in any form of Rugby who wouldn’t have heard about it and have probably watched it. Origin is huge. The average attendance at World Cup matches in France this year was 47,000. The last time Origin was played in Melbourne (a neutral venue) the attendance was in excess of 91,000. If Rugby League were to grow significantly around the world it would be off the back of Origin. Half of RA problems are that they believe they are the dominant code because Rugby is big on the international stage. The problem is that in our backyard there is another code that is far more popular, has far more fans, is better managed and financially stronger to a degree that RA can only dream about. As I have written elsewhere today, on current valuations, the NRL could buy out RA in its entirety out of a single years profits. Passing off the NRL by comparing them globally helps create complacency in RA and only strengthens the other codes. I am not trying to promote league in any way but to try and stop this heads in the sand approach that so many in our sport seem to adopt. The NRL is a juggernaut and we would be better off trying to make them an ally and not trying to provoke them at every turn.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
Vlandys hasn't been in charge the past century, try looking at the last 4 years.
Jutsy
Roar Rookie
This is a really insular view, as I said I can see aussie/nz players seeing the appeal but tell me how nrl offers bigger crowds/better sponsorship opportunities for players based in the NH? Doubt any English/Irish/french union player even knows about origin
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
Recognition Playing in front of packed stadiums Sponsorship opportunities (you dont get sponsers if no one knows you and you aren't on TV/media) Chance to play Origin
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
As I pointed out elsewhere. The current valuation of RA is about $60m. Last year, the NRL made an operating profit of $62m. This year, the NRL has had a bumper year. Origin the best ever, tv audiences up, gates up and revenue from an extra team. Everything points to record breaking profits at the NRL this year. Rather than have a fund / concessions to poach Rugby's best, they could likely buy RA outright out of this year's profits alone. So as much as we might like to poke fun at league around here and take a "heads in the sand" approach to anything the NRL or Vlandys might talk about, that alone is a very sobering thought.
Ruckin' Oaf
Roar Rookie
What unlike the past century or so ?
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
They may not yet, but at some point one player will …
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I’m sure they’re not, I doubt UK clubs are either, but if you think the NRL isn’t going to become an option for rugby players at some point then you’re living in dreamland.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I still think it’s a bad idea. Why offer cap exemptions when it’s only a matter of time before rugby players start chasing an NRL opportunity ? The NRL should continue just building its product to the point it becomes an irresistible option.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
This is what happens when clubs are propped up by rich benefactors who one day get sick of writing cheques.
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Who?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Unless he’s a potential fullback, zero chance. He’d have to pass up too much cash to play NRL as a winger.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I think it’s probably more so private team ownership. Private owners jumped in and drove spending beyond the means of the teams and some have now decided they don’t want to tip in money forever
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I bet French Rugby are quaking in their boots over the prospect of s leaugue raid :laughing:
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
I believe that PE has had a part to play.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
Nothing in place yet, I will grant you but Politis is livid about Suaali and Abdo/V’landys both know that an 18th team is not that far away. When Vlandy’s gets an idea like this he can move pretty quick and I think “not likely” might become a “certainty” before the current off season is done. However the very fact that something like this is being talked about means that the bear is awake.
carnivean
Roar Rookie
Except that the bit you're quoting isn't true. There was off-season talk about maybe introducing something like that but nothing is real yet or even likely.