Gigantic double take
Twins get Brumbies confused
RUGBY’S twin towers are confounding teammates at the Brumbies, with Rory and Richie Arnold each making a claim on the No.4 jersey.
Wallaby winger Henry Speight has had trouble telling the skyscraping twins apart since Richie joined the squad from the now-defunct Western Force.
“It’s hard for me because even their mannerisms are similar,” Speight said.
More teammates were hoodwinked in the recent trial against the Melbourne Rebels when the Brumbies ran 35 players but had only 29 jerseys to shuffle.
Of course, the best fit for the jersey draped over Rory’s super-sized 2.08m frame was his brother, so off came the No.4 jersey and on it ran again on Richie’s back. “Real good minutes from Rory,” was one quip on the night.
Glen Ella once did a sneaky switch to stand in for Wallaby twin Mark at an interview. A Fine Cotton-style swap might even work in rugby if Rory went off to the dressing room for a bloodbin break and a fresh Richie ran out to finish the game.
The 27-year-old brothers are one of Australian rugby’s feel-good stories because the last time they played together was for the Gentlemen of Murwillumbah Bananas in 2011. It was third-grade bush footy, they trained barefoot for weeks until size 16 boots arrived.
Rory’s step up for 15 Tests has been a triumph, while former sugar mill rigger Richie has beaten injuries to chart his own rise to Super Rugby and the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens as a Brumby.
“The boys can tell us apart because we’ve got different personalities,” said Richie, whose hair is on the more unruly side.
“It would only be if I got a fresh cut like Rory that it might be hard for a few of the boys. Rory shaves his legs, I don’t, so there’s another thing.”
Richie is enjoying a career he never thought he’d have because he only broke into Premier Rugby with his strong ball-carting in 2015 with Bond University.
Last night’s trial against the Chiefs at Sunshine Coast Stadium was a final hitout before the Brumbies open the Super Rugby season against the Sunwolves in chilly Tokyo on Saturday week.