Worrying signs for Australia after Rory Arnold's injury

Worrying signs for Australia after Rory Arnold's injury

New Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie will be sweating over the fitness of giant lock Rory Arnold with reports surfacing out of France that the second-rower lock has fractured his right arm.

Arnold started Toulouse's Champions Cup semi-final against Exeter Chiefs on Saturday but lasted just 22 minutes before he was forced off the field. Toulouse went on to lose the game 28-18 as Exeter Chiefs reached their first European final in the club's history.

The 30-year-old became a regular starter for former Wallabies' boss Michael Cheika during last year's World Cup was expected to be brought into the Wallabies' set up during World Rugby's six-week international window to accommodate The Rugby Championship.

A tweak in Rugby Australia's eligibility laws allows for two players plying their trade outside of Australia to be included in the squad even if they don't already meet the current 60 cap, seven-year threshold, to be selected for the tournament which opened the possibility for Arnold to add to his 26 Tests.

The law change was set to allow Arnold to solve somewhat of a selection crisis in the Wallabies' second-row with Dave Rennie lacking experience in the department.


"He's certainly a guy that's come up in discussion (to be called up)," new Wallabies forwards coach Geoff Parling told reporters on Monday from Christchurch.

"We have had good conversations about (him) and he's certainly a decent player, and I like him as well because he's about 7ft 4 so that definitely helps at this level.


"It's unfortunate for Rory, he's certainly someone that's come into discussion about joining us for that Rugby Championship but now we'll just reassess."

Nonetheless, Parling said he was confident in the cattle already at the Wallabies.

"I've also got lots of confidence in the guys that I've got here; some great players and some great athletes," Parling said.

"We'll find out how bad that injury is specifically and go from there."

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