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Eddie Jones had some choice words for Australia's highest paid player
By Ian Cameron
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones has left out veteran lock Rory Arnold from his 33-player squad and took a dig at the player for his decision to stay in Japan. Jones expressed his disappointment over Arnold’s choice to remain in Japan despite his team, the Red Dolphins, withdrawing from the Top League following a bar brawl.
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Jones named his squad on Sunday and will observe his players at a training camp on the Gold Coast from April 16-18. While Arnold’s exclusion has caused a stir, Jones has made it clear that his decision was based on the player’s availability and commitment to the team.
Arnold, who has played 27 Tests for the Wallabies, is currently contracted to the Red Dolphins until May 2023. Jones is looking to rebuild the Wallabies ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and has made it clear that he will only select players who are fully committed to the team’s cause.
Arnold is currently the highest-paid Australian rugby player in the world and is reported to be earning $1.5 million AUD for the Japanese side. The 6’8, 120kg lock clearly hasn’t impressed Jones with his decision to remain in Japan.
“I think he’s working on the factory line at Hino isn’t he? I think he’s making those trucks, because he’s not playing rugby at the moment,” Jones said.
“To get selected you have to play rugby, we don’t pick blokes who make Hino trucks.”
Jones has however called up Rory’s identical twin brother, the equally enormous Ritchie Arnold, who plays for Toulouse.
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“He’s [Richie Arnold] a massively tough player,” said Jones. “Toulouse build their pack around Richie Arnold. I went and met the coach of Toulouse [Ugo Mola] and we had a chat about him and what he brings to their team and his development as a player.
‘He’s a very young player by playing experience and training experience.
‘So I feel like again, he’s one of those players who’s got a lot of development and a lot of growth in him.’
