Toulon v London Irish Sun 12.30

[fivepointer]

Toulon: Luc; Cordin, Septar, Paia'aua, Villiere; Carbonel, Serin; Gros, Etrillard, Brookes; Etzebeth, Rebbadj, Du Preez, Ollivon (capt.); Isa

Replacements: Tolofua, Fresia, Gigashvili, Lakafia, Alainu'uese, Belleau, Wainiqolo, Blanc

London Irish: Parton; Rowe, Rona, Van Rensburg, Hassell-Collins; Jackson, White; Gigena, Creevy, Van der Merwe; Coleman, Simmons, Rogerson (capt), Gonzalez; Tuisue

Replacements: Cornish, Goodrick-Clarke, Hoskins, Mafi, Pearson, Phipps, Joseph, Arundell

[Timbo]

I’m predicting one team to score lots of points and the other team to score even more points. In the region of 45 plays 35, probably to Toulon.

[Timbo]

Wow!!

Insane try from Arundell!

[fivepointer]

Henry Arundell scores the try of the season. It is simply breathtaking.

[Puja]

Okay, that was plain ridiculous. Arundell is just utterly overpowered in broken field - going from under pressure on his own tryline to score in the corner and beating covering defenders that he had absolutely no right to. He must travel to Australia this summer.

Can't imagine what he'd do on a 7s pitch as well. I suspect it might be dangerously arousing.

Puja

[twitchy]

Nuts.

[Puja]

Nuts.

It's the third beaten tackler that gets me. Arundell's made a lovely break and rescued 50+ metres from a horrendous situation, but there's defenders in front of his and a covering man coming across who has the angle on him. Almost every other player in the world slows and looks for support there, or looks to cut back inside to more congested areas where support may be. Just about everyone else goes, "I've done really well; let's look at recycling the ball so that we can keep the attack going."

Arundell straightens to draw the cover defender and then violently changes direction, accelerating sideways, just as the defender is about to grab him and the cover defender just ends up sitting down cause he's not quite sure how that just happened. Just ridiculous blend of skill, absurd physical attributes, and sheer gall to decide that he could make it.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Arundell looks like a ridiculous talent. It feels like every single game he plays, he adds another a bit of magic to an already impressive highlight reel.

I’ve gone form thinking it’s too soon to thinking ‘I can’t wait to see him in a senior England jersey’.

I wouldn’t want to shift Steward, so I’m hoping Arundell could do the business on the wing.

[Puja]

I wouldn’t want to shift Steward, so I’m hoping Arundell could do the business on the wing.

Agreed - Steward is a pure full-back and getting better at it every game (he was excellent yesterday), whereas Arundell is just a ball of talent who we need to get on the ball.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Yep, can’t wait to see him out in Argentina this summer.

[Puja]

Yep, can’t wait to see him out in Argentina this summer.

Off you fuck.

Puja

[twitchy]

Another vid.

[Puja]

Another vid.

I love Flatman losing the ability to speak and just shouting, "ARRRRRRHHH" as he scores. Very similar to my reaction, tbh. I kinda want to hear the French commentary on this. You just know they'd love it, even against a French team.

Puja

[morepork]

Initial pass was obviously forward.

[Mellsblue]

The kiwi killjoy strikes again. Don’t worry, England won’t pick him as he won’t be dominant enough under the high ball or bench press enough. Looks like he squats enough, mind.

[Puja]

Initial pass was obviously forward.

I actually thought that on first viewing and was worried it was going to be called back for TMO, but on one of the thousand times I've watched that replay I saw that it's actually very backwards - Phipps's hands are about 4m out and Arundell catches it standing only 1m from the line. It's just because Phipps gets pumped so thoroughly by the Toulon chaser that makes it look bad. Can't blame him - wouldn't we all destroy Phipps if given that open goal of an opportunity?

Puja

[padprop]

Interesting question of world class, what other players realistically could possibly have scored that? LRZ? An in-form Jonny May? Kolbe?

Arundell seems to have a great mix of top end pace and agility/step, which is even more obvious than those names listed. LRZ and May are much more straight line runner types.

Has to tour this summer, could make a good argument for straight in for Malins.

[Scrumhead]

It seems like every time he plays he comes up with outrageous moments of skill which suggests to me that he’s ridiculously talented and could be a genuine RWC bolter.

Steward aside, our back three is in a bit of a transition. No-one has convincingly replaced May and Watson but there’s also no guarantee that either of those come back in the kind of form to justify dropping them straight back in. Almost every winger has a caveat and while it’s fair to say that players like OHC or Murley are more deserving of a shot than Arundell, he just looks like he’s got something extra. I think it’s a gamble well worth taking.

We could say the same for Barbeary, but I’d argue the level of need in the back row is not at the same level as it is on the wing.

[morepork]

Interesting question of world class, what other players realistically could possibly have scored that? LRZ? An in-form Jonny May? Kolbe?

Arundell seems to have a great mix of top end pace and agility/step, which is even more obvious than those names listed. LRZ and May are much more straight line runner types.

Has to tour this summer, could make a good argument for straight in for Malins.

Kotaro Matsushima?

[Peej]

Can he play 13?

[p/d]

Another vid.

Bib bob bibbidi bob…… bloody marvellous

[morepork]

Initial pass was obviously forward.

I actually thought that on first viewing and was worried it was going to be called back for TMO, but on one of the thousand times I've watched that replay I saw that it's actually very backwards - Phipps's hands are about 4m out and Arundell catches it standing only 1m from the line. It's just because Phipps gets pumped so thoroughly by the Toulon chaser that makes it look bad. Can't blame him - wouldn't we all destroy Phipps if given that open goal of an opportunity?

Puja

I was on the wind up you adorably objective creature. It was a fantastic try by the new Quadzilla. I will note that not many of his team mates went full support berserker to back up the initial blitzkrieg.

[Puja]

Initial pass was obviously forward.

I actually thought that on first viewing and was worried it was going to be called back for TMO, but on one of the thousand times I've watched that replay I saw that it's actually very backwards - Phipps's hands are about 4m out and Arundell catches it standing only 1m from the line. It's just because Phipps gets pumped so thoroughly by the Toulon chaser that makes it look bad. Can't blame him - wouldn't we all destroy Phipps if given that open goal of an opportunity?

Puja

I was on the wind up you adorably objective creature. It was a fantastic try by the new Quadzilla. I will note that not many of his team mates went full support berserker to back up the initial blitzkrieg.

Gods, I wish it was still the early 2000s. I'd quote that first sentence in my forum signature, in pink glittery writing.

I like the idea that his LIrish teammates are jaded and just don't bother to support him. "Yeah, he's gone; it's easier just to go back to the 10m line and wait for the kickoff as soon as he starts one of those runs."

Puja

[Beasties]

Initial pass was obviously forward.

I actually thought that on first viewing and was worried it was going to be called back for TMO, but on one of the thousand times I've watched that replay I saw that it's actually very backwards - Phipps's hands are about 4m out and Arundell catches it standing only 1m from the line. It's just because Phipps gets pumped so thoroughly by the Toulon chaser that makes it look bad. Can't blame him - wouldn't we all destroy Phipps if given that open goal of an opportunity?

Puja

I was on the wind up you adorably objective creature. It was a fantastic try by the new Quadzilla. I will note that not many of his team mates went full support berserker to back up the initial blitzkrieg.

They were plain knackered. Hell of a match.

[FKAS]

Can he play 13?

Nevermind 13 can he play on the right wing in place of Malins? Radwan, Arundell and Steward for the summer tour, anybody with me?