Bath-bound Arundell returns to England set-up

Henry Arundell has been drafted straight back into the England set-up after playing his final game for French side Racing 92.

He has joined this week’s four-day training camp before a potential return to Test action next month.

Arundell burst on to the scene with London Irish and came off the bench to score a try on his Test debut against Australia in July 2022.

London Irish went into administration in June 2023 and while Arundell was given dispensation to play at the Rugby World Cup later that year, where he scored five tries in the pool-stage win over Chile, he signed a contract extension in Paris in December that made him unavailable to head coach Steve Borthwick.

Arundell scored a hat-trick on his Racing debut, but could not maintain that rich form as the club struggled to 10th place in their most recent Top 14 campaign.

Former England boss Stuart Lancaster was sacked as Racing head coach in January and Arundell’s move to Bath marks an early end to his contract with the big-spending French side.

Arundell scored two tries in his final game for Racing at the weekend as he returned after five months out of action.

His top-end pace will be welcomed by Borthwick with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s speed sorely missed during the Exeter wing’s time out with injury.

An ability to play at full-back is also an asset as England experiment with forward-heavy benches that require versatile players in the backline.