Rugby Union 43b4i

England Recall For Bath-Bound Henry Arundell As Winger Added To Steve Borthwick’s Training Squad 1a34v

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Henry Arundell has ed up with Steve Borthwick’s England squad after playing his last game with French outfit Racing 92.

The former London Irish speedster links up with the national side for a four-day training camp ahead up the summer tour.

Arundell, 22, ed Racing 92 in 2023 after former club Irish folded.

He was ineligible for England due to playing overseas, but is set to Bath, who face old foes Leicester in the Gallagher Premiership final.

Henry Arundell Returns To England Fold 4a6p

Electric winger Arundell was a sensation when he first came through at London Irish.

He scored a stunning try off the bench on his England debut against Australia in 2022.

But when London Irish went bust in June 2023, Arundell was forced to look for a new club.

Despite ing French side Racing 92, he was given special dispensation to play in the 2023 World Cup.

He made history when he scored an incredible five tries in one game against Chile in the pool stages.

But after g a contract extension in , he became ineligible for Steve Borthwick’s side.

Arundell continued to impress in the Top14, scoring a hat-trick on his Racing 92 debut.

However, both his and the team’s form dipped last season as Racing slipped to a 10th-placed finish.

But his return to England has seen him recalled, with the England training squad announced on Tuesday.

Henry Arundell s Bath At Just The Right Time 1z3s1d

In January, Racing boss and former England coach Stuart Lancaster was sacked by the struggling Parisian outfit.

Shortly after, news broke of Arundell’s move to Premiership front-runners Bath for next season.

Johan van Graan’s side topped the table during the regular season.

And they are on for an impressive treble, having won the Premiership Cup and European Challenge Cup already.

Having not lifted any silverware since 2008, and not won the Premiership since 1996, Bath have been steadily building.

Beaten finalists last year after a first-half red card for prop Beno Obano saw them lose 25-21 to Northampton Saints, they are hoping to go one better.

And win or lose in Saturday’s final, they will be even more formidable next season.

With no major departures announced so far, Bath have recruited well.

Along with Arundell, they have signed Argentinian international Santi Carreras from Gloucester.

Another Gloucester man, 2021 British and Irish Lions centre Chris Harris, also makes the short-distance switch to Bath.

Exeter Chiefs hooker and Bath academy graduate Dan Frost will add some depth and grunt up front.

Why Don’t England Select Overseas Players? 294ds

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) mandates that only players based in England can be selected for the national team.

This rule exists to protect the integrity of the Gallagher Premiership, preventing top England internationals from moving overseas.

By keeping England’s best players in the league, the rule maintains the quality of club teams, and allows more direct control over players’ training and development.

Critics, however, argue that players should not be held hostage by the national team.

Professional rugby careers are short, and many argue that top talent should be allowed to go and earn the maximum money they can.

There is room for bending of the rules, though. In exceptional circumstances, England boss Steve Borthwick is permitted to select overseas players.

An example of this was Arundell at the 2023 World Cup. With his club London Irish folding, Arundell moved to at short notice in order to keep playing.

As the switch was not entirely his choice, he was allowed to play for England at the World Cup.

But this dispensation was removed once he turned down a return to the Premiership and extended his deal at Racing.

Likewise, Toulouse flanker Jack Willis was initially allowed to play after moving to when Wasps folded.

But he too is now ineligible after opting to extend his time at the French giants.

England Rugby Summer Fixtures 5s2442

Arundell’s first chance to play for England will be in a non-cap fixture against a XV.

That match, on Saturday 21 June, will be against a French side missing a host of key faces involved in the Top14 final.

After that, England head across the Atlantic to take on Argentina in a two-test series before a one-off game against the USA in Washington.

England’s Summer Schedule: 464z40

  • 21 Jun – England XV Vs XV (non cap) – Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (15:15)
  • 05 July – Argentina v England – Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi, Buenos Aires (17:40)
  • 12 July – Argentina v England – Estadio San Juan Del Bicentenario, San Juan (17:40)
  • 19 July – USA Vs England – Audi Field, Washington D.C. (18:00)
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James Chittick
Sports Editor

James is an experienced writer covering a wide range of sports, including Premier League and European football, Rugby Union, WWE and the NFL. Having studied English & Creative Writing at Plymouth University, James completed a master's degree in Digital & Social Media Marketing before pursuing a career in Journalism. He then graduated from News Associates in Manchester after finishing their NCTJ Postgraduate Diploma in Multimedia Sports Journalism. Since then, James spent time writing for GameRant before ing Reach PLC, where he featured regularly in publications such as the Daily Mirror, Football.LDN, Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo, as well as dozens of local titles. Now at SportsCasting, James provides expert analysis and detailed research features, as well as covering breaking news stories.

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Author photo
James Chittick Sports Editor

James is an experienced writer covering a wide range of sports, including Premier League and European football, Rugby Union, WWE and the NFL. Having studied English & Creative Writing at Plymouth University, James completed a master's degree in Digital & Social Media Marketing before pursuing a career in Journalism. He then graduated from News Associates in Manchester after finishing their NCTJ Postgraduate Diploma in Multimedia Sports Journalism. Since then, James spent time writing for GameRant before ing Reach PLC, where he featured regularly in publications such as the Daily Mirror, Football.LDN, Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo, as well as dozens of local titles. Now at SportsCasting, James provides expert analysis and detailed research features, as well as covering breaking news stories.

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