Former Top-14 and NZ sevens star Toby Arnold has answered an SOS for the injury-ravaged Crusaders.
In November, the 36-year-old hung up his boots after a 16-year professional career but will end his brief retirement to take up a short-term contract as injury replacement for Welsh fullback Leigh Halfpenny.
The Wales centurion suffered a chest injury during his maiden game for the defending champions - a pre-season outing against Munster last month. He underwent surgery for the torn pectoral muscle and is expected to be out of action for three-to-four months.
Arnold will return to retirement when Halfpenny is deemed fit to return to the field.
Te Kuiti-product Arnold played 31 games for Bay of Plenty and represented New Zealand 17 times on the world sevens stage - which included a gold medal at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games - before signing on with French side Olympique Universitaire Rugby in 2013.
He went on to play 10 seasons with the Top 14 side, finishing as the club's all-time leading tryscorer, crossing the chalk 75 times in 232 total appearances.
Playing under new coach Rob Penney, the winless Crusaders are amid their worst ever start to a Super Rugby season, nursing a slew of injuries to key players including All Blacks Will Jordan, Scott Barrett, Braydon Ennor, Tamaiti Williams and Ethan Blackadder.
On Tuesday, veteran prop Owen Franks' two-game suspension for foul play in Friday's loss to the Hurricanes rubbed more salt in that wound.
The Crusaders will try to snap their dire run against the Blues at Auckland's Eden Park on Saturday.
