YOUNG GUNS
ARCHIEMcARTHUR GLOUCESTER & ENGLAND U20s PROP
Archie McArthur is hoping to develop his scrummaging whilst in England’s U20s Six Nations camp, with the hope of turning it into ‘the bread and butter of his game’.
McArthur was made redundant due to the financial demise of his boyhood club Wasps but the 19-year-old has since enjoyed a career revival with Gloucester.
The loosehead prop had been at Wasps for two years but felt the pain and anguish as much as the veteran players.
He said: “Everyone was in the same boat, in complete shock. We couldn’t quite wrap our heads around it. It was like a family being broken apart. Even though I was only there for a couple of years, you could see what it meant to the academy boys, the first team players and even people who joined that year. It was a hard pill to swallow but luckily
I got another chance with Gloucester, so I’m focused on that now.”
McArthur is enjoying being reunited with his former Wasps teammates and housemates Greg Fisilau and Rekeiti Maisai-White in camp.
He added: “I lived with both of them for a year and after Wasps went under, I got to play against Exeter so I got to see Greg but I hadn’t seen Ricky for a few months after it happened.
“It was great to see them both and when we meet up we still have the same banter as it doesn’t feel like anything’s changed.”
The 6 ft 2, 18 stone 6lbs front row has made four Premiership Cup appearances this season and sees the tournament as a great tournament to allow younger players to develop.
He said: “They’ve all been class experiences. Going to Kingsholm for the Bristol game was mental as we had 11,000 fans on a Tuesday night. I wasn’t expecting a crowd that big but it shows how much the town gets behind the boys.
“I had a few scrums against Patrick Shickerling who’s a bit more experienced than me and he filled me in once or twice but that’s what I need being a younger player.
“Having the opportunity to put your club jersey on at anytime is awesome as you get a chance to experience a faster level. You can go out on loan and try to make a name for yourself but being able to play and get exposure at your club can only benefit you.”
McArthur is part of Alan Dickens’ leadership group for this Six Nations and after joining the team midway through last season, he feels more self-assured this time around.
He said: “With me being in my second year of men’s rugby I’ve been getting better in my trade in the front row. I’m playing against people my age from different countries, so that’s only going to make me better and hopefully when I go back to Gloucester they’ll see me as a different player.
“It’s a privilege to be in the leadership group but we’re not completely focused on it, we just try to encourage other people in the squad to be leaders as well.”
Being a mobile and dynamic ball carrier, McArthur flourishes in the loose but says his scrummaging is what he needs to work on most.
He added: “I’ve got Nathan Catt in camp who’s been really good in giving us feedback. It’s something I’ve struggled with in the last year and is something I need to keep working at if I’m to play Premiership or international rugby. As a prop you need to be able to scrum first and then everything else I can add onto my game.”