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The England verdict on the record-tying five-try Henry Arundell
England have reacted to the record-tying five-try performance from Henry Arundell in their 71-0, 11-try thumping of Rugby World Cup minnows Chile.
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The youngster, who was making just his third Test career start and his first appearance at France 2023, was six days shy of his first birthday when Josh Lewsey scored five tries in November 2003 versus Uruguay in Brisbane as part of the Clive Woodward side that ultimately lifted the title in Australia.
Steve Borthwick’s class of 2023 are still four long odds wins away from replicating that triumph, starting with their October 7 Pool D finale versus Samoa, but they were glad at finally seeing their attack produce a cutting edge after months of hard toil under their new head coach.
Arundell, who was anonymous in his previous two England starts under Borthwick, made it third time lucky with the No14 jersey on his back. He enjoyed two first-half walk-ins – his first ended 20 minutes of a nil-nil stalemate – before scoring three more after the break that involved a bit more effort.
There will now be a clamour for him to retain the starting shirt when England’s campaign restarts next month following a 14-day gap between matches.
However, it remains to be seen whether his five-try salvo against the tournament’s lowest-ranked team eclipses either Elliot Daly or Jonny May, the tryless wingers preferred by Borthwick in the opening wins over Argentina and Japan.
“He played really well. He took those opportunities. He is a fantastic finisher. The message to him was to bring his point of difference onto the pitch, to back himself and he certainly did that in those opportunities,” Borthwick initially enthused post-game in Lille before deflecting the praise away from the youngster to
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“You have to credit as well the people who play on the inside who create those opportunities. I thought you saw a great blend. The team played in a few different ways at different times – led by Owen (Farrell) – and managed through what was a challenging spell at the start of the game.
“It is important that we credit Chile who I thought played in a real courageous and committed manner, and the players worked their way through that period and took their opportunities really well.”
Skipper Farrell, who gave Arundell the assist for the game’s opener with a long pass to his right, was impressed by the winger’s overall display, not just his finishing.
“Everybody knows what talent Henry has got. He has shown it before. He has shown it for London Irish, he has shown it when he got his first touch in international rugby in Australia and we all know.
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“A big thing that Henry showed was that he got after everything in between as well. He didn’t just finish tries. He got balls back in the air, he chased hard, he worked hard for the team and ultimately he got his rewards off the back of that and did what he does unbelievably well.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Speell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways 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.
3 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 .
6 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
5 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.
5 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.
6 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 comments