England can be the long-term beneficiary of Henry Arundell move

12/06/2023 Rugby Union

England can be the long-term beneficiary of Henry Arundell’s move to Racing 92, insists Stuart Lancaster… as the star’s new head coach looks to take him to the next level

  • Arundell moved to France after London Irish folded, opting against stay at home
  • He has already scored a hat-trick for his new side and move is looking promising
  • The 21-year-old will line up against some of his England team-mates on Sunday

Henry Arundell had barely finished unpacking the boxes at his new apartment in Paris by the time he scored his first hat-trick for Racing 92. The 21-year-old has settled in nicely in the French capital and his new coach, Stuart Lancaster, believes England can be the long-term beneficiary.

On and off the pitch, Arundell is not someone who takes the conventional route. Where others would kick or pass, Arundell’s instinct is to put his foot down and run. And when his childhood club London Irish went bust last season, he turned down the safe option of staying put in the Premiership.

‘He had the confidence and maturity to come and live in France on his own in a flat – not many 21-year-olds would choose to do that,’ said Lancaster, the former England coach, who also joined Racing 92 this season.

‘They would probably find it a bit uncomfortable being in a foreign country, not being able to speak the language and living on your own in a flat. But Henry is happy to do that because he sees this as an opportunity to grow and develop.’

Switching between wing and full-back, Arundell has scored for tries in his first three games in the Top14. He is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Siya Kolisi and Gael Fickou at France’s glamour club, earning new endorsements with Nike as his status continues to grow. His attacking flair has already lit up the competition and, still working on the defensive intricacies of the game, Lancaster has taken on the job of developing him into the complete player.

Henry Arundell has settled in nicely at Racing 92 after his move from the Premiership this year

He has already scored a hat-trick for his new side, and England can be the long-term beneficiary of the move

Head coach Stuart Lancaster has insisted he will be able to help Arundell develop as a player

‘He’s been good,’ added Lancaster, who developed a host of Leinster players into established Ireland internationals. ‘It came about because of the demise of London Irish. I didn’t know him previously but we chatted and I convinced him I could create a good opportunity for him to develop and grow as a player. With the likes of Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O’Brien, Jordan Larmour, James Lowe, the guys I coached in Ireland and England, I would be confident in my ability to develop young players.

‘We’ve had a chance to play him on the wing and at 15. Both options are open. His athleticism obviously stands out but I’ve been impressed with his ball distribution, his kicking game, he’s aerial game and defensively he’s switched on. He’s definitely had a good start and I think he’s enjoying it.’

Arundell is hoping to line up against some of his England team-mates from the World Cup on Sunday, when Racing host Harlequins in the opening round of the Champions Cup. Arundell remains eligible for international selection during the Six Nations but after that he must decide whether to return to the Premiership to keep alive his short-term international ambitions.

Bath are among the clubs who have expressed an interest and Lancaster insists the club will not stand in the way of his Test career. The coach said: ‘From my point of view, any international player who plays in the Six Nations, I’m never going to compromise their chances to be successful for their national team – be that French players or English players, or Welsh players or whoever. We’ve got Will Rowlands here, for example … So we’ll see. We’ll see what happens with Henry. It’s early days for him and there’s a decision to be made. Whichever way he goes, I’ll support him, and try and help him develop, for sure.’

Arundell is hoping to line up against some of his England team-mates from the World Cup on Sunday when Racing host Harlequins

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