Tom Curry: Reunion with the Pumas
writes Daily Mail rugby correspondent Chris Foy.
Having gone from rookie to one of the world’s pre-eminent back-row forwards, Curry is relishing this reunion with his first international adversaries.
Argentina were the first Test team to encounter Tom Curry and when they do so again at Twickenham, they will discover that he has changed so much since that debut in 2017.
The Sale flanker was still five days short of his 19th birthday when he was handed a first cap against the mighty Pumas in San Juan. That introduction to the international arena saw Curry become the youngest England men’s player to start a Test for 90 years, after he earned a call-up when twin brother Ben had to withdraw from Eddie Jones’s squad with a back injury.
Now 24, Tom has turned potential into pedigree; going from being a raw rookie who was still finding his feet at club level to a Lion respected as one of the world’s pre-eminent back-row forwards. Having survived a gruelling rite of passage on the England tour of South Africa in 2018, he went on to become one of the stand-out stars of the national team’s surge to the World Cup Final in Yokohama the following November. He was short-listed for the global Player of the Year award.
So much has happened since he first locked horns with Argentina. Curry has proved that he can be highly adaptable. Having emerged as an out-and-out openside with predatory instincts at the breakdown, he has gone on to play across the back row for England; excelling at blindside and also handling the task of being a stop-gap No.8 with aplomb.
The ability to move outside his comfort zone and anchor the scrum was recognition of the way his game has evolved, with a greater emphasis on becoming a ball-carrying force. Curry is still the formidable hit-man who was lauded as one of Jones’s so-called ‘Kamikaze Kids’ with his defensive exploits in the Far East three years ago, but he is relishing the chance to prove that he can be an offensive asset too.
Asked what is different about him now compared to the teenage Test novice the Pumas first faced, Curry said: "I’m a little bit more mature, I think. Probably the way I attack is the biggest difference between now and back then.
"I am not just focusing on the breakdown as the area I can influence now. The way the game is going, that (attacking game) is where I get my most enjoyment now, I feel. I love to be more involved in the attack, it’s been a work-on for me and a big step forward.
"In every generation, the back row has changed, and everyone is adding something. You look at the competition of young back rows like Tom Pearson and Alex Coles – they are multi-faceted. It’s a big message, that the game is always changing in front of you, and for the six, seven and eight, that’s really important."
Jones is in no doubt about the calibre of the Shark who has become such a stalwart of England’s pack. When the head coach was asked recently about the country’s world-class assets, the first name he mentioned was Curry – "at his best". In a competitive area, when he is fit and available, he is a shoo-in for a place in the starting XV; putting him in a rare and exalted category. He has added leadership strings to his bow and stood in as captain at the start of the last Six Nations.
His last international involvement was frustratingly disrupted. Having started the opening Test against Australia in Perth back in July, Curry was ruled out of the remainder of the series after suffering a concussion. England’s management and medical staff were credited for erring on the side of caution and standing him down from the last two matches.
When asked about the episode and whether he felt content that his welfare had been prioritised, he said: "Definitely. It shows the way rugby is going and the progression it’s making. The game is being put into a better spot with research and what’s going on. The doctors have been brilliant in terms of monitoring me coming back and that side of things."
Curry came into camp with England on a high after Sale’s impressive start to the new season, with a winning run seeing them keeping pace with Saracens at the top of the Gallagher Premiership table. As one of the club’s many home-grown assets, Curry has been enthused by the upturn in fortunes, which will enhance his personal morale ahead of a momentous autumn campaign.
"We talk about results a lot, but the biggest thing is the feeling in the squad," he said, about Sale’s recent progress – which has also contributed to England call ups for Raffi Quirke and Bevan Rodd. "This year, it feels like the balance of the squad is right, with the young lads and the signings coming in. That's the most exciting bit. We can’t get carried away, but the personalities and the way we want to play is very exciting for us."
England are striving to build on the momentum of their comeback Down Under to claim a 2-1 series win over the Wallabies. There are three more big challenges ahead, with Japan the next visitors to Twickenham, followed by New Zealand and South Africa. But Curry won’t look beyond the passionate, high-intensity threat posed by the Pumas, who earned a maiden victory in New Zealand during the Rugby Championship.
Ahead of this reunion with his first international adversaries – some of whom were on duty against him in 2017 – Curry said: "You can never relive your first cap, but it’s always nice to revisit it. Playing against Argentina is a special occasion and as a back row, we know it’ll be a really competitive Test.
"It’s always emotional and physical, first and foremost, so we have to match that, control that and then be properly accurate on the back of that. It’s easy to say that, but it’s another thing to do it."
Curry is ready and able to handle the magnitude of another grand occasion at Twickenham, as a catalyst for England in attack as well as defence. He is primed to provide fresh evidence of what an all-round asset he has become.
