Latest news with #HenryArundell
Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Times
Meet the former London Irish coach trying to take down the Lions
T here are times after a couple of cans of Castlemaine XXXX when Jonathan Fisher and Les Kiss look back on their last days of London Irish and wonder, 'What if?' Could the team they were growing in west London would have challenged Northampton Saints and Bath for the Gallagher Premiership title over the past two seasons? The collapse of the club in June 2023 left senior players and staff scattered far and wide. Benhard Janse van Rensburg was snapped up by Bristol Bears, Saracens pounced to sign Juan Martín González and Lucio Cinti, Northampton Saints bagged Tom Pearson and Henry Arundell moved to Racing 92 in Paris. There was also a generation of players still on academy contracts who were lost to London Irish, including Chandler Cunningham-South and two of the best young props in England, Afolabi Fasogbon and Tarek Haffar.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Premiership final heartache for Reading's Hassell-Collins as Bath edge out Leicester
Leicester Tigers' Ollie Hassell-Collins (right) breaks free from Bath Rugby's Max Ojomoh during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final at the Allianz Stadium, London. Picture date: Saturday June 14, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Adam Davy/PA (Image: Adam Davy) It was Premiership final heartache for Reading's Ollie Hassell-Collins as Leicester Tigers were defeated by treble winners Bath. 26-year-old Hassell-Collins started at Twickenham for the Tigers, who finished 11 points behind league leaders Bath, in the showpiece final. Advertisement A close-fought and cagey occasion played in blistering heat, Bath edged their rivals out 23-21 to win their first top-flight title for 29 years and complete a domestic and European treble after already lifting the Premiership Cup and European Challenge Cup. The Tigers twice had men sent to the sin bin – departing captain Julian Montoya late the first half, while it was not an ideal send-off for the retiring Dan Cole, who saw yellow late in the second. (Image: Mike Egerton) The former London Irish winger was facing fellow former Exile Joe Cokanasiga and was joined in the second half by Matt Rogerson, former London Irish captain before their expulsion in 2023. Advertisement He scored 19 tries across the 2024/25 campaign and has played for England since his move to the Midlands. Former teammate Henry Arundell, former Young Player of the Year with London Irish, is to join champions Bath ahead of the new season from Racing 92 in France. Irish, who played at Reading's Select Car Leasing Stadium between 2000 and 2020, were rescued by the late Eddie Jordan in February, with hopes that they will return to professional rugby in 2026.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Steve Borthwick hands Henry Arundell England recall ahead of Bath move after sacrificing international career to join Racing 92
Henry Arundell has been given an early opportunity to return from England exile and reignite his stalled Test career, after being called up by Steve Borthwick ahead of his arrival at Bath. The 22-year-old emerged as English rugby's next big thing in 2022, when he scored a staggering 100m solo try for London Irish at Toulon, before being fast-tracked into the senior national squad, having illuminated the Under-20 side with his prolific exploits. Arundell made his debut for England against Australia in Perth and stunned the Wallabies by striking with his first touch as an international player, with a combination of power, footwork and pace. The flying wing sensation went on to feature at the 2023 World Cup and claim a record-equalling five tries in the pool-stage win over Chile in Lille. However, by then he had agreed to join Racing 92 in Paris – following the financial collapse of Irish – and after the global showpiece he became unavailable to Borthwick, the England head coach, due to the RFU policy against picking players based overseas. His enforced move across the Channel began brightly with a hat-trick on debut for Racing, but he struggled for form and fitness for the majority of a difficult campaign, before agreeing an early release from his contract, in order to join Bath. That has opened the door for his inclusion in the Red Rose training squad preparing for a non-cap match against a France XV at Twickenham on June 21, followed by summer Tests against Argentina and the USA. The involvement with England will allow Arundell to make an early connection with Bath's visionary attack coach, Lee Blackett – who will be assisting Borthwick on the forthcoming tour of the Americas. That arrangement alone is bound to be a boost for a player who remains an exciting young prospect, providing he can regain confidence and sharpness in a positive environment. By the time he joins up with Bath, they could have completed a Treble by winning the Premiership. In the aftermath of his decision to move to the French capital, Arundell's mantel as English rugby's next big thing was seized by Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who burst on to the Test scene in dazzling fashion last year. Now, Borthwick has both men at his disposal, along with other rookie contenders Ollie Sleightholme, Tom Roebuck and Cadan Murley. Despite having lost a raft of key men to Lions call-ups, this means England should have significant firepower and potency as they gear up to face the dangerous Pumas in La Plata and San Juan, and the USA in Washington DC. Arundell's ability to operate at full back will also be a factor in his favour, as the head coach weighs up his options before naming a tour squad on June 23. Regaining the services of an exciting talent who had migrated to France is good news for Borthwick and he will hope that others follow. England's management team would relish a chance to promote Racing lock Junior Kpoku to their senior squad as and when he returns to the Premiership, while Stade Francais centre Joe Marchant would be another exile on the wanted list.
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Bath-bound Henry Arundell recalled to England squad
Bath -bound Henry Arundell has been recalled to the England squad ahead of the summer tour to Argentina and the United States. Arundell has agreed a move back to the Premiership from Racing 92 and will again be available to Steve Borthwick this summer as he prepares to join his new employers. The 22-year-old, able to play on the wing or at full-back, made an eye-catching start to life in Test rugby and travelled to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, scoring five tries in a single game against Chile in Lille. He has been unable to be picked while based in Paris, though, after joining the Top 14 club following the demise of London Irish. Arundell joins the 36 players named earlier this week for a four-day camp at Pennyhill Park as England prepare for their four-match summer itinerary. The squad gathered does not include those involved with Bath or Leicester, who are gearing up for the Premiership final. Borthwick's side take on a France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham next Saturday 21 June before travelling to Argentina for two matches with the Pumas in July. They finish their business with a meeting with the USA in Washington DC.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bath-bound Arundell returns to England set-up
Henry Arundell has been drafted straight back into the England set-up after playing his final game for French side Racing has joined this week's four-day training camp before a potential return to Test action next 22-year-old wing, who joined Racing in 2023, has agreed a return to the Premiership with Bath for next season, making him available for England selection once again now his time in France has come to an burst on to the scene with London Irish and came off the bench to score a try on his Test debut against Australia in July Irish went into administration in June 2023 and while Arundell was given dispensation to play at the Rugby World Cup later that year, where he scored five tries in the pool-stage win over Chile, he signed a contract extension in Paris in December that made him unavailable to head coach Steve scored a hat-trick on his Racing debut, but could not maintain that rich form as the club struggled to 10th place in their most recent Top 14 England boss Stuart Lancaster was sacked as Racing head coach in January and Arundell's move to Bath marks an early end to his contract with the big-spending French scored two tries in his final game for Racing at the weekend as he returned after five months out of top-end pace will be welcomed by Borthwick with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's speed sorely missed during the Exeter wing's time out with injury. An ability to play at full-back is also an asset as England experiment with forward-heavy benches that require versatile players in the will play a France XV at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on Saturday, 21 June, before selecting a squad to play two Tests against Argentina and a match against the United States in July.
