I guess that Arundell might also have found that a lot of the clubs in the Premiership had already done their transfer deals for the new season, and that the sort of terms and conditions that he was looking for were not on offer in English club rugby.
The big drawback at the moment is that the RFU’s current international eligibility ruling means that only players in the Premiership can play international rugby for England. This could well result in Arundell, one of the country’s most exciting young backline talents, not being available to them after the World Cup.
Arundell may be in Steve Borthwick’s 41-man training squad for the World Cup because he was registered with London Irish this season, and has yet to play for Racing, but as soon as he joins the French Top 14 club after the tournament ends, the England head coach will be unable to pick him. That means he will be unavailable for the 2024 Six Nations unless something changes.
The reality is that England can still pick players who are playing overseas “in exceptional circumstances”– and I would argue that Arundell’s case is exactly that. What is a player expected to do when his last club has gone bust, through no fault of his? You say, ‘these players need to be employed, so we will make them exceptions’.
The Premiership has always wanted to keep its England internationals in the league, but there was a danger that it was often at the cost of them earning bigger wages abroad, and also being enriched as rugby players and people, by being in a new environment.
Denne historien er fra July 09, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 09, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
