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Henry Arundell could be a “significant player” by the time of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, says England coach Eddie Jones, who compared him to the legendary Bryan Habana after his exploits in training.
The London Irish back is in line for his international debut after he was named on the bench for the tourists’ first match of their three-game series against hosts Australia in Perth.
While Jones has rung the changes elsewhere across his squad – with Owen Farrell stripped of the captaincy and Courtney Lawes installed with the armband – he has nevertheless been impressed by the 19-year-old’s skill.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s opener at Perth Stadium, the coach illustrated the teenager’s exploits amid his squad’s preparation – and suggested he could emulate South Africa winger Habana with a bright, fast future.
“Henry scored…how long is the field, 100 metres? He scored a 90-metre try at training on Wednesday. There were a few, I won’t use the expletives, ‘he’s fast!’ heard,” Jones said.
“We had a number of coaches from different sports watching and they heard this comment.
“He scored a try not many other players in the world would have scored. It was like a try Bryan Habana used to score – one of those.
“He could be a very good player but he’s got a long way to go. We feel like if he continues his development and we’re able to give him some game time on this tour, by the World Cup he could be a significant player.”
England will follow their game in Perth with successive clashes in Brisbane on July 9 and Sydney on July 16, with the visitors looking to extend their eight-match winning streak against Australia.
Jones is looking to reverse a slump in his side’s form, ahead of next year’s World Cup, where they are currently drawn alongside Japan, Argentina and Samoa in Pool D.
