May gives some cautionary advice to 'X-factor' teammate Arundell
Henry Arundell has the “world at his feet” if he is able to emulate the adaptability shown by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, according to his England team-mate Jonny May.
Arundell amassed five tries in Saturday’s 71-0 demolition of Chile to equal the record for the number scored in a single match by an Englishman, in the process becoming the leading try-scorer at the World Cup.
The 20-year-old’s electric tournament debut has propelled him into contention for the final Pool D fixture against Samoa on October 7, either as a starter or high-impact replacement.
As another super-quick wing who specialises in conjuring sensational length of the field tries, May sees one of his rivals to start against the Islanders as a unique talent.
“What Henry’s got is his X-factor. The world’s at his feet,” said the 33-year-old, who is playing in his third World Cup.
“Everyone around him needs to learn from him, support him and help develop him. He’s an important part of this team and we need to get him firing.
“Five bloody tries! Regardless of who you’re playing, that doesn’t happen very often. It was a special day for him and his family and I’ve got a feeling he’ll have lots of special days ahead of him.
“Henry’s an important player for us and he is only going to get better. I’m learning from him as well, competing with him and learning from him.
“He will have some confidence now for the rest of the tournament. He’s dangerous when he has got that confidence.”
Arundell’s strike rate has climbed to seven tries in nine Tests and he is already among the game’s most exciting players, even if he remains more raw potential than finished article.
May insists an important lesson Arundell must learn is to remain composed if he is denied the opportunity to display his customary fireworks because of the nature of a game, illustrating his point through Haaland’s performance in the Champions League final in May.
Manchester City defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in Istanbul yet their record-breaking striker Haaland played a peripheral role.
“You want to be having your influence in attack, scoring tries and having those moments, but equally the most important games – the hardest games – aren’t like that,” said May, who has 75 caps.
“It’s like the Champions League final and you watched Haaland play. It wasn’t a game about scoring lots of goals.
“Those Test matches in knockout games are not about scoring lots of tries, it’s about making the least mistakes, a game of chess. It could also come down to a moment of magic.
“I don’t want to sound patronising because we play in the same position and I have a lot of respect for Henry as a colleague, but it’s about learning those experiences and developing through those type of games.
“He’s probably had a couple of games where he’s been scratching his head at half-time thinking ‘this isn’t what I had planned’. Sometimes that’s just how it goes – it’s more about not making a mistake and just simmering.
“I said to him that some days you don’t even get to shoot your gun but don’t get frustrated, but Chile didn’t end up being one of those games! It easily could have been.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
2 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments