Who is Henry Arundell: Ten things you should know about the England wing

Henry Arundell’s combination of pace and power have seen him wow rugby fans across the world, particularly with the wonder tries he has scored as a teenager.

Ten things you should know about Henry Arundell

1. Henry Arundell was born on 8 November 2002 in Cyprus.

“My mum was a nurse in the military and my dad was a colonel in the Rifles,” Arundell explained to the Daily Mail. “I was born in Dhekelia, the old RAF base which is now shut down.

“I lived in Cyprus for two years and then we moved around a bit more because of my dad’s postings: Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, America. It was cool, moving around a lot, experiencing different places.”

He describes his parents as the biggest influence on his career.

2. He started playing rugby aged seven for Trowbridge RFC and played a variety of positions before settling in the back three.

“I’ve moved around a lot,” he told Rugby World in 2022. “I played No 8 a couple of times – pick and goes! I’ve played across the back-line, except nine, and that’s helped because you appreciate what the other boys can do for you.”

3. He joined the London Irish Academy when he was 14 while playing for Harrow School and made his senior debut for the club in the Premiership Rugby Cup against Saracens in November 2021.

4. He became a breakout star of the 2021-22 campaign after scoring some spectacular long-range tries, including one against Wasps in the Premiership and this one against Toulon in the European Challenge Cup.

He was named Discovery of the Season at the Premiership Awards.

5. His childhood heroes include Rugby World Cup winners Jonny Wilkinson and Jason Robinson as well as former All Blacks full-back Christian Cullen.

6. He scored four tries in three matches during the U20 Six Nations in 2022, having also represented England at U18 level.

7. He was eligible to play for Scotland and Wales through his parents/grandparents but opted for England and made his Test debut as a 19-year-old on the 2022 July tour to Australia.

8. Arundell scored a try with his first touch in international rugby, bursting through two Wallaby defenders and evading another couple to cross the line in the closing minutes of England’s first Test defeat in Perth.

9. He is known for his pace and his power, saying of his strengths: “Speed and just getting on the ball. It’s not just being a running threat but a kicking threat too.”

10. He considered studying history at university, with a rugby scholarship to Yale in America one opportunity, but opted to focus on professional rugby.

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