Rory Arnold ready to fight for Wallabies jumper as World Cup looms

The towering lock is back in the Australian setup, for the next two weeks at least, after being called into the squad for the upcoming tour to Argentina.

After that, however, the situation is less clear. Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is likely to be forced to omit an overseas-based player to allow for the return of Samu Kerevi from the Commonwealth Games.

The mentor has flagged the possibility of seeking special permission to utilise four players under the Giteau Law, but the initial response from Rugby Australia has been lukewarm.

Having recently departed French club Toulouse, Arnold will make the shift to Japan for the upcoming season. The contract is reportedly worth more than double what Australia could offer.

In signing a mega-deal in Japan, the 32-year-old will continue to battle the likes of Quade Cooper and Will Skelton for limited Wallabies opportunities.

With a World Cup just 14 months away, Arnold recognises he must be at his best to remain on Rennie's radar.

"As a player that's affected by [the Giteau Law], if they call up and ask me to play, I'm going to put my hand up," Arnold said. "It's the pinnacle to play for your country.

"As for how many people they can have in the group, I'll leave that up to Dave and the people on the board.

"I'm in and around the mix now. If I get over to Japan and I'm playing some good rugby over there, we'll see where Dave gets to. If he wants to give me a call next year, I'll definitely put my hand up."

While a return to Australia would ensure Arnold is among the first forwards selected in the Wallabies squad, the lock conceded that is unlikely.

"I can see why [the rule is] there, to keep the talent in Australia and playing Super Rugby.

"I wouldn't say no [to a return to Australia], but I'm going on 32. I've just signed up in Japan for a couple of years so I'm probably heading towards the twilight of my career."

Arnold picked up a minor calf strain during his time off however he's confident it won't derail his Rugby Championship campaign. The 208cm lock expects to be fit and available for selection for next week's clash with Argentina.

It comes at a time where the Wallabies forward depth has been tested, with Izack Rodda and Cadeyrn Neville headlining a sizeable injured group.

That has only highlighted the importance of Arnold remaining healthy. The Wallabies will be careful in managing the 32-year-old's workload, but Arnold is confident it won't take him long to hit top gear.

"The boys that have been here for a number of weeks now, coming off Super Rugby and the England series, they're going to be fit and ready to go.

"I'm probably a few steps behind them, but I'm confident in my ability and I'll get up to scratch in no time."

SANZAAR has announced the reintroduction of the 20-minute red card for the Rugby Championship.

Used in Super Rugby since 2020, the initiative has met resistance from the northern unions. World Rugby recently knocked back an application to take the next step in the trial of the law.

That was despite a law review group voting to approve a global trial, the governing body instead arguing the 20-minute red card was not a big enough deterrent for foul play.

In a release, SANZAAR set the stage for a showdown with the northern hemisphere, determined to protect the integrity of Test matches by maintaining 15 players on the field.

Arnold was less staunch in his views, eager to see how the 20-minute red card impacts games throughout the Rugby Championship.

"A red card moment does change the game," Arnold said. "You're down to 14 for the rest of the game. The way they're looking at it is to keep the game competitive.

"It's a hard one isn't it, we'll see how we go with it in the Rugby Championship."

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