Rory Arnold

Rory Arnold
Personal information
Full name Rory Wiremu Arnold
Nickname Big Ross
Born (1990-07-01) 1 July 1990
Wagga Wagga, Australia
Height 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight 120 kg (18 st 13 lb)[2][3]
School(s) attended Murwillumbah High School, Murwillumbah
Relatives Richie Arnold (twin brother)
Club information
Playing position Lock
Current club University of Canberra Vikings / Brumbies
Amateur team(s)
Years Team
2013 Gold Coast Breakers[4] ()
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Pts)†
2013 Griquas[5] 6 (10)
2014− University of Canberra Vikings 14 (10)
2015− Brumbies 15 (5)
Representative team(s)‡
2013 Combined NSW-QLD Country 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 3 November 2015.
† Appearances (Points).

‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 4 September 2013.

Rory Arnold (born 1 July 1990) is an Australian professional rugby union player. He plays for the Brumbies in the Super Rugby competition. His regular position is lock.

Family and early life

Rory Arnold and his identical twin Richard were was born in Wagga Wagga where their father, Tony, was stationed in the army.[6] The brothers were raised in Murwillumbah in northern New South Wales, where they both played junior rugby league until aged 16 before losing interest in the sport.[1] In 2010, Rory joined the Murwillumbah rugby club where he played for two seasons before being scouted by the Gold Coast Breakers,[7] where his brother Richard now plays.[6]

Rugby career

Arnold played Premier Rugby for the Gold Coast Breakers in 2013 and was selected in the Combined New South Wales–Queensland Country side that faced the British and Irish Lions during their 2013 tour to Australia, coming on as a late substitute.[8][9]

He joined South African side Griquas for the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division competition,[10][11] and had an eventful debut in Griquas' match on 31 August 2013 against near-neighbours Free State Cheetahs.[12] Arnold started in the match and scored a try in the 62nd minute, but immediately got sent off for allegedly biting Cheetahs player Ethienne Reynecke.[13][14] He was cited and subsequently received a seven match ban,[15] but his appeal against the decision was upheld and he was cleared to play with the penalty annulled.[16]

Arnold underwent a shoulder reconstruction and sat out most of the 2014 season before joining the University of Canberra Vikings in the inaugural National Rugby Championship. He was included in the Brumbies squad for the 2015 Super Rugby season.[17] He made his debut in the Brumbies season-opening match against the Reds, starting their 47–3 victory in Canberra[18] and so becoming the joint-tallest player in the history of the competition, along with Andries Bekker who represented the Stormers between 2005 and 2013. He held this record for just one week, however, with Lions lock JP du Preez (at 2.09m tall) making his debut in the second round of the competition.

References

  1. 1 2 Dutton, Chris (9 August 2014). "ACT Brumbies recruit Rory Arnold tallest player in Super Rugby history". The Sydney Morining Herald. Fairfax. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Rory Arnold". brumbies.com.au. ACT Brumbies. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Rory Arnold". rugby.com.au. Australian Rugby Union. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "Gold Coast Breakers Player Profile Rory Arnold". Gold Coast Breakers. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "SARU Player Profile Rory Arnold". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  6. 1 2 Harris, Bret (27 February 2015). "Brumbies big man Rory Arnold says long levers are an advantage". The Australian. News. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Breakers selected in the Combined Country team". Gold Coast Breakers. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "ESPN Match Report: Combined NSW-Queensland Country v British and Irish Lions". ESPN Scrum. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Lions Match Report: Combined NSW-Queensland Country v British and Irish Lions". British and Irish Lions. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  10. ↑ "Griquas promote club player". SAPA. IOL Sport. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "Aussie kan GW-buiging maak". Media24 (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 18 August 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  12. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Toyota Free State Cheetahs vs GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  13. ↑ "Hearing set for Griquas 'biter'". Media24. Sport24. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "Drotské lauds defensive effort". Media24. Sport24. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  15. ↑ "Season over for Griquas biter". Rugby365. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  16. ↑ "Rory Arnold cleared of biting, Deon Fourie Cited". South African Rugby Union. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  17. ↑ "Brumbies Team". Brumbies. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  18. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Brumbies vs Reds". South African Rugby Union. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
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