The Henry Arundell idea for attracting next generation of rugby fans

England youngster Henry Arundell has shared his thoughts on how rugby should jazz up its approach to social media if the sport is to appeal to a new generation. There has been much talk emerging from the pandemic about how the game needs to grow and create fresh awareness beyond its traditional fanbase.

The 20-year-old Arundell is very much now a rising star heading into the upcoming 2023 Rugby World Cup. He burst into the pro ranks with a 2021/22 breakthrough season at London Irish that culminated in a try-scoring debut on tour with Eddie Jones’ England in Australia.

Arundell’s progress was then checked by injury, but he bounced back earlier this year to force his way into the plans of Steve Borthwick, the coach who succeeded Jones as the England boss. He appeared four times during the Guinness Six Nations and is now training with the Test squad ahead of the August 7 selection of the 33 players that will travel to the Rugby World Cup in France.

England World Cup kit

England World Cup kit

Whether he ultimately makes Borthwick’s final selection or not for the finals, it is across the channel where Arundell will be continuing his career in 2023/24 as the financial collapse of London Irish has resulted in him taking up the offer of a one-year deal at Racing 92, the Parisian club that Stuart Lancaster has now taken charge of.

Arundell lit up social media with some of his try-scoring exploits for Irish, announcing himself as a talent to watch with an incredible solo try-scoring effort at Toulon last year, and he now sounds ready to embrace the increased interest in him if he becomes an England World Cup player ahead of his club switch to Paris and the Top 14.

? What is in the August – Next Generation Special – edition of Rugby World? ?@henry_arundell is our cover star with the England youngster aiming to take #RWC2023 by storm

He's also starting a new club chapter post @londonirish ?

Exclusive interview by @AlanDymock pic.twitter.com/Mem6ofU6QO

— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) June 28, 2023

Appearing as the cover story in the latest Rugby World magazine, Arundell shed light on how the sport must develop to become more popular. Asked about selling rugby and the idea that it needs to do better to entice the next generation of supporters, he said: “I’m a big fan of American sports, that’s probably why I reference them quite a lot.

“They have taken social media well, in terms of all the players buying into it. Everything is on social media now. Whereas rugby is still in that kind of transition period where you have got the old guard and the new guard where, if you are doing social media stuff that is kind of putting yourself out there, it’s too much, it’s not humble.

“There is also the side where you have to do this now if you want to grow rugby, grow the brand. Don’t get me wrong, I still get moments when I look at social media and think, ‘What is this guy doing? Stop that.’ But then you think, if LeBron James was doing that, I’d go, ‘That’s cool!’ It’s just probably because of the culture that is still in rugby.

“Rugby needs it more. Maybe there needs to be more support… Although, I dunno. You can’t really educate it, the bad side of social media. It’s something you just have to experience and then eventually realise what it is actually like and that you have to take everything with a pinch of salt when you see it.

“But if you are going to appeal to a new generation, they are all on TikTok or Instagram. None of them are on Twitter or Facebook. So it’s growing that side, and then it is not belittling people who are trying to be different.

“There is a side to rugby where you don’t put your head above the canopy. In your first year, you come in and have your head down, you work hard. It’s very good that is still a thing because it keeps you humble. But then if it becomes a culture of when you post something online… Okay, sometimes it is funny when someone takes the p***. But if it is constant, you will wonder what is the point in trying to do this.

“But if you are not creating a celebrity-type status of rugby players, you are not going to grow it. Like, the NRL in Australia, they are all celebrities. Obviously, the sport makes it a spectacle, like the NFL, when it is a day out of entertainment, not just the rugby. Like State of Origin, they are so good at that.

“You have to promote it. I heard Eddie Hearn say on a podcast, ‘Why would you not sell rugby like you do a fight?’ That is something Eddie (Jones) was good at – and still is.

“He says stuff in the media that is controversial, and it gets people riled up, but that keeps people engaged. The issue is when you get players and sometimes coaches going, ‘You know, we wish them all the best, they are a great team.’ That’s just the usual.”