Controversial wing Arscott 'desperate' to prove himself in Premiership after French exile
Newcastle Falcons have announced the signing of controversial former Premiership player Tom Arscott from next season.
The former Sale Sharks players says he’s ‘desperate’ to prove himself after his last stint in the Premiership ended in controversy.
Arscott joins from French club Rouen where he has been playing under the tutelage of Richard Hill, the man who was at the helm when he made his Premiership debut for Bristol back in 2007.
Going on to play top-flight rugby with Worcester Warriors, London Welsh and Sale Sharks, the Plymouth-born player adds further finishing power and experience to a Falcons squad which has been making great strides in recent years.
However, Arscott was sacked by Sale Sharks after meeting his brother Luke on the eve of Premiership match between Sale and Bristol in early 2017.
Arscott’s contract with the club was set to run out at the end of the season but the winger always denied giving his brother any information that could have proved detrimental to his team.
Excited by the prospect of joining the Premiership’s most northerly club, Arscott said: “It’s a league I always wanted to return to, and I feel I have something to offer Newcastle.
“With the way things were left at Sale Sharks I was desperate to get the opportunity come back to the Premiership and prove myself a little bit, and thankfully Dean has given me that chance.
“Newcastle are having an awesome season on the back of an encouraging one the year before, the club is going in the right direction and I’ve enjoyed watching their games on the TV from over in France.
“The players who have been brought in and retained over the last three or four years firmly suggest that this is a club doing the right things, and that was a massive attraction. I’m ambitious, I want to push myself with some of the best back three players in the Premiership and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
A regular try-scorer for Rouen during his time with the French club, Arscott said: “With the way things finished up at Sale it was good to get away from the UK and just put things to one side, but I’ve been desperate to come back.
“It has been bittersweet in the sense that Rouen has been great and I’ve enjoyed my time there, but I always knew the Premiership was where I really wanted to be. I’m desperate to be in that environment, I have a massive hunger within me to prove myself here and I know I’ll be alongside great players.
“I can learn a huge amount from the guys who are here, I feel I also have a bit to pass on to some of the guys and overall it’s just a move which feels right. I’m joining a club who are doing the right things and it’s also a lovely part of the world.”
Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Tom is a proven performer at Premiership level over a long period of time, he knows his way to the try-line and he suits the way we want to play.
“Whether that be at wing, full-back or even outside centre doesn’t matter, but it’s great news for the club that we have been able to bring him on board.”
The 30-year-old has scored 29 tries in his 104 Premiership appearances, playing predominantly at wing and full-back but with the ability to also slot into the centres.
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Comments on RugbyPass
AI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
58 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to comments