Tom Curry is not the player you think he is

When the time comes to reflect on Tom Curry’s international career, most probably in some years from now, tussles with South Africa will feature prominently.

Although he was blooded as a teenager in Argentina, he had to wait 12 months for his next cap. Then, in 2018, came three consecutive starts across a Test series against the Springboks. Curry turned 20 between the first and second matches.

He and his colleagues will forever bear the scar of the 2019 World Cup final and South Africa was also the destination of the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour. Despite starting all three of those Tests, Curry has admitted his frustration at what he remembers as rather frenetic performances.

“Finding that consistency is at the top level is what everybody wants,” he said in October of that year. “And that wasn’t there”.

Clearly, the Springboks already encompass a chunky chapter of the 24-year-old’s story.  Less certain, though, is how Curry will be remembered as a Test player. Already, it seems as though he has experienced a number of different incarnations.

Having emerged as a sinewy scrapper, he bulked up and shifted to blindside flanker, developing his line-out work to complement Sam Underhill and Billy Vunipola. Curry has been back and forth from the base of the scrum, as well, with Eddie Jones indicating that he has the tools to match the explosive impact Ardie Savea has made for the All Blacks.

'He remains an influential defensive leader'

On Thursday, the England head coach suggested that one of his most valued figures would benefit from enjoying an uninterrupted run. “He’s had a difficult year up until now,” Jones said of Curry. “He’s had a lot of injuries and now he’s back and playing his fourth Test in a row. We saw against New Zealand him coming back to his best form.

“That’s what makes me most optimistic. We have a number of our good players coming back into form and they will be better than they were. Guys like Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, Jonny May, Owen Farrell have all had injuries, have been in and out of the team and now they’re getting a consistent run.”

Coaches have to cater for a high attrition rate among their back-row players, of course. Curry tore his hamstring against Ireland in the penultimate round of the Six Nations in March, missing the final assignment in France, before suffering a concussion in Perth. That restricted him to just 40 minutes of the series against Australia.

You do wonder whether Curry might have been a victim of his own versatility, too. Saturday will bring his 45th cap and the 25th time he has started at openside flanker. He has come off the bench once, starting at blindside flanker 12 times and at number eight on seven occasions.

There have been signs recently, though, that Jones has been eager to give Curry a tighter focus. For a start, although he skippered his country as recently as this year, the Sale Shark has not been burdened with official vice-captaincy. Secondly, a combination of Curry and Jack Willis was, apparently, not entertained as a starting option because both are viewed as out-and-out opensides.

When Sam Simmonds and Billy Vunipola were teamed up against New Zealand, Curry retained the number seven shirt. He did take his first two line-out throws since the 2021 Six Nations, demonstrating his ability to adapt to the needs of the team.

Injuries to Underhill and Courtney Lawes, as well as the absence of Lewis Ludlam, have lessened any temptation to move Curry. And that appears to be paying off. After a slow start for England this autumn, as Argentina stormed Twickenham, Curry amassed 21 tackles in the 52-13 thrashing of Japan. He then grew into the game against the All Blacks.

His handling during England’s three-try burst was exceptional. He dropped a deft pass inside to Mako Vunipola prior to Freddie Steward’s finish and then helped set up Will Stuart’s leveller. Curry ran flat off Marcus Smith but managed to jink away from contact, fixing two New Zealand defenders in the process, before feeding Owen Farrell.

Such linking skills, also conspicuous from the tail of line-out mauls, will be vital if England are to fulfil their aim of being able to overwhelm opponents with varied, pacey phase-play.

Perceptions may be different, but Curry is not a prolific jackaller. He forced four breakdown turnovers over three knockout matches at the 2019 World Cup. Since then, he has managed just 12 in 24 Tests. Only once in that period, against Tonga, has Curry registered two steals in a match.

Even so, he remains an influential defensive leader, harrying opponents around the fringes of rucks, scurrying up to pressurise playmakers and spearheading kick-chases.

Once again, a meeting with South Africa comes at an interesting juncture for Curry. Jacques Nienaber has plumped for a back row of Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi and Evan Roos. On the Springboks’ bench are two furious spoilers in Marco van Staden, a boulder of a man, and Kwagga Smith.

Curry has Alex Coles, in the hybrid lock slot, and Billy Vunipola for company. Simmonds slips back among the replacements. It would be a good time for Curry to vindicate Jones’ assertion that he is nearing his best.