Eddie Jones has slammed hulking lock Rory Arnold, Australian rugby’s highest-paid player, after leaving him out of the Wallabies squad for an upcoming training camp.
On Sunday, Jones named a 33-man squad for a training camp that will be held on the Gold Coast between 16 and 18 April.
STATE OF THE EURO CUPS: Stern test awaits travelling SA teams
However, a notable absentee was second-rower Arnold, who together with his brother Richie was the second-row core to a strong Toulouse side that won the French Top 14 in 2021.
Rory Arnold made the move to Japan with the Hino Red Dolphins, collecting a whopping $1.5million a year. However, the Red Dolphins cancelled their season in March after a wild night out by the players left a nightclub trashed.
Instead of looking for a move away from the club, Arnold opted to stay in Tokyo, which prompted Jones’ ire.
“I think he’s working on the factory line at Hino isn’t he? I think he’s making those trucks, because he’s not playing rugby at the moment,” Jones said, when asked about the 32-Test cap lock’s exclusion.
“To get selected you have to play rugby, we don’t pick blokes who make Hino trucks.”
Jones was the sole selector of the squad but said it wasn’t a “one-man dictatorship”.
MORE: Pieter-Steph priced out of the market?
“I’ve got a number of people I take advice from, some of the most learned people in Australian rugby have been using their eyes and their wisdom to help support views that I may or may not have,” he said.
WALLABIES SQUAD
Allan Alaalatoa, Ben Donaldson, Pone Fa’amausili, Josh Flook, Lalakai Foketi, Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson, Carter Gordon, Ned Hanigan, Reece Hodge, Michael Hooper, Jed Holloway, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Lachlan Lonergan, Ryan Lonergan, Fraser McReight, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Cadeyrn Neville, Jordan Petaia, David Porecki, Tom Robertson, Pete Samu, Blake Schoupp, James Slipper, Darcy Swain, Jordan Uelese, Rob Valetini, Suliasi Vunivalu, Nic White, Brad Wilkin, Tom Wright.
Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images