1
Sale explain 'getting rinsed' reason why Tom Curry won't face Saracens
Tom Curry won’t make his eagerly awaited comeback when Sale visit Saracens next Saturday looking for a result to qualify them for the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals. Saturday’s showdown at the StoneX is a repeat of last year’s final at Twickenham.
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However, the Sharks will go into the rematch without their fit-again England back-rower even though they know a loss to the second-place Londoners will leave them tumbling out of the play-off picture on the final day of the regular season.
Curry hasn’t played any rugby since last October’s Rugby World Cup bronze medal final win for England versus Argentina in Paris. After that tournament, he returned to training at Sale and expected a busy winter with the Manchester club.
However, he soon seized up on the training ground and a specialist medical opinion resulted in him undergoing hip surgery – quite a big deal for someone who is still only 25 years old.
At the time Curry was expected to be ruled out for the remainder of the season but his rehabilitation was so positive that there was talk that he was set to play in last Friday’s home win over Leicester at the AJ Bell.
Curry himself nipped that potential return in the bud over a Thursday morning coffee with his club boss Alex Sanderson and rather than pencil in this weekend’s massive match at Saracens as his comeback date, it was further decided to instead wait until a possible semi-final on the weekend of June 1.
Asked at his latest media briefing on Tuesday afternoon if Curry was available to play at the StoneX, Sanderson said: “I might as well call it, no, he is not.
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“He’s not far off but unfortunately, he hasn’t made it. We haven’t done enough rugby exposure with him for him to feel confident but he is moving incredibly well – he is having a pre-season style week.
“Like, he’s getting rinsed and that is what we wanted to happen to him. He came in this morning, I saw him and went, ‘How are you feeling?’
“He said, ‘Really stiff’. ‘Well, you asked for it’. And he was doing extras at the end of the session today, so he is there or thereabouts. We’ll make a call if and when we give ourselves an opportunity to play a semi-final.”
Sanderson explained what had happened following last week’s initial enthusiasm that Curry could be back to face the Tigers. “We were talking last Wednesday night because he was moving so well, Nav (Sandhu, the Sale physio) was getting really excited. ‘How good is this? You’re back, mate!’
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“That was like five o’clock Wednesday night and then I got a text at 7.30pm and he was like, ‘Can we meet for a coffee?’ Then it was a proper chat without the emotion. Like, what is the best for Tom Curry?
“I think 18 months ago, before his consecutive hamstring pulls and all these things that were related to his pelvic girdle and his hip, he said he would have probably gone and done it [played].
Gallagher Premiership
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Northampton
17
12
5
0
60
2
Saracens
17
11
6
0
56
3
Bath
17
10
7
0
55
4
Sale
17
11
6
0
52
5
Exeter Chiefs
17
10
7
0
50
6
Harlequins
17
9
8
0
50
7
Bristol
17
10
7
0
49
8
Leicester
17
8
9
0
40
9
Gloucester
17
4
13
0
27
10
Newcastle
17
0
17
0
5
“We feel this [not playing] is a growth in terms of his maturity and doing what the right thing for him is to ensure he doesn’t play under par and he has got a lot more years in him rather than burning himself out.”
With England set to tour after the club season is over, taking on Japan on June 22 in Tokyo before travelling to face the All Blacks twice in July, has there been a conversation with Curry over possibly going on the trip as part of Steve Borthwick’s squad despite him not yet making his club return to play?
“We are (talking) from a medical perspective, I haven’t from a rugby and coaching perspective yet.
“I broached the subject last Thursday in Gail’s in Knutsford and he was like, ‘Let’s just focus on me getting ready for a possible semi-final, and then we will talk about summer’. So he is very much in the moment at the moment, doesn’t want to focus too far ahead.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Just what you want your prop doing 😂
1 Go to commentsEveryone needs to have a bit of ball player in them Nick and second phase but forwards and backs are still different coz of where you stick your head most of the time. Pocock and tizzano were 12s right up to the edge of seniors. Pocock was 12 to quades 10 then pocock was at the force At 17 year’s old or so. Hamish Stewart was apparently was a junior 7. Don’t know when he switched but apparently he was crons 10 in the Oz 20s. A mistake too often made is playing a guy like taquele nairavuro at wing instead of as a power 8. On rugby tours we often had a spare 7 playing crash 12 coz the regular 12 stayed home. Often had a spare 7 playing on a wing too.
2 Go to commentsyikes - what a load of crap Gallan. Interesting until after your 1st paragraph, but then again not worth anyone’s time responding to such pointless analysis and of course your dumbass opinions.
4 Go to commentsOutside of their national camp, club teams seem to take a tighter stance on doping. Think that explains it really.
4 Go to commentsThanks Nick Ive always thought that there should be a few more innovative attempts at players moving from backs to forwards and vice versa. Samu was one, as was Jim Williams last century. Cole certainly could run like a back, as can Lonergan from the Brumbies. I think that it’s going to become hard again for hookers though as front rowers seem to be getting bigger and bigger, and the guys have to look after their spines as well as (in Australia) their achilles! I always thought that Folau should have been tried in the lineout…. I think the same for Vunavalu…if he lasts any longer. Movement between positions is much more common in League, mainly because the size requirements between backs and forwards are not as pronounced. Hookers and halfbacks interchanging and second rowers and centres as well. The great Cameron Smith was effectively a hybrid hooker/halfback, being able to play both positions…sometimes it seemed simultaneously! For now, it seems like McReith and before him Hooper are the standouts, though Cale could be anything. John Eals did a few “back” type things mind you, including running and kicking. As for Jones, I don't credit him as anything (in an Australian context) other than a speaker of a million throw away lines, with the occasional one being picked up! Sorry
2 Go to commentsHe's Big in Japan
2 Go to comments“England are set to lose some of their best ever players at the end of the season with the mass departure to France”… Really? Best ever? What a joke of an opening line. The england players leaving for France are… Sinckler, Ludlum, Tuilagi… that’s the list of players England are losing at the end of this season to France. All 3 are fringe players at best these days. Manu is the only one you could fathom debating being one of “their best ever players” and even that debate would be shut down pretty quickly. Pathetic excuse for journalism this. Not grounded in reality.
1 Go to commentsYep. The insanity of the decision of trying to outspend RL for outside backs just looks more and more stupid as time goes on and talented players either bully us into paying overs to keep them (Jorgensen) or simply leave as Uncle Nick comes calling (Nawaqanitawase).
20 Go to commentsInteresting that you pick Amatosero, John. I would agree with your choice. He could well be capped this year at some point. At only 21 years of age, he has a lot of experience at a high level from his time at Clermont. I’m surprised he did not remain there for longer, as last year he was really starting to move, with 14 games, six starts, well up from the previous year, 7 games, only 2 starts. Have liked what is doing with the Waratahs this year. Not an easy situation for any player there, with the poor results.
3 Go to commentsNed me old shinwah, it’s probably not a bad idea to learn how to spell the last names of great All Blacks wingers. (Otherwise we will demean our memories of Grant Bitty, Jonah Lima, Joe Rococo and Doug Howler.)
3 Go to commentsNo longer able to except the excuses offered up for Rob. The red jersey has lost it’s mana and become a joke. I do not wish Mr Penny any wrong but it is time to go. Do the right thing Rob and retire, PLEASE.
31 Go to commentsIt is a travesty that 8/12 teams play in the finals, and that 4 wins out of 14 might be enough to get you there, but every competition has this to some degree. If it was only the top 4 going through, then this season would have been over for 6 of the teams 4 weeks ago. Super Rugby is simply a feeder competition for the All Blacks and Wallabies. There are low stakes and no consequences because so few people care who wins Super Rugby. In football, winning the Champions League is the pinnacle for any player or fan. The fate of national teams in the world cup or Euros is a complete second fiddle to The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundelsliga etc… Same with the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB. Players and fans care deeply about their team winning NBA title, but don’t care at all about USA winning gold at the Olympics. Or more locally with Rugby League, the Hierarchy is probably NRL > State of Origin > International. For some maybe State of Origin is the top. Super Rugby is low consequence and low stakes because no one cares enough about the outcome. Players ultimately want to play for the ABs, not the Hurricanes or Blues. Casual fans aren’t talking about SR selections but everyone has an opinion on Sam Cane or Ian Foster. Super Rugby is a means to an end. The only context it has is how it effects who is selected for the ABs.
6 Go to commentsPlayoffs featuring 4 or 6 teams would mean the other teams playing meaningless games for longer and a further drop of interest in Australia. But yes a 12 team competition with 8 teams making finals is ridiculous.
6 Go to commentsJoe's picks will be more interesting than Razors. The dumping of Dave Rennie for Jones has to be one of the worst exec decisions of all time. Joe and Dave have similar styles and personalities, the players should like that. Predicting some success for Aus this year. Well more than last year!
3 Go to commentsHey Ben, Thanks for your opinion article. As a die hard rugby tragic and loyal supporter of the game can I say your article seems a touch negative so I would like to offer a slightly different spin on it. I am assuming that the sole purpose of the Super Rugby competition is not just to be a training camp for the International teams but an independent event and competition in its own right with sponsors, media companies and teams that need a financial return. Now, from this rugby fans perspective, I am enjoying the last few weeks of the competition and enjoying the fact that most teams can still make the play offs and nobody wants the wooden spoon. Most rugby followers would agree to it being a travesty if the Crusaders or the Waratahs now made it to the final but history tells us it is very unlikely with the importance of home ground advantage. Playing each team once and a four team final would give the competition integrity and a level playing field for all teams but I would be surprised if it could satisfy the financial demands of the TV rights. Maybe a six team finals series might be a possible compromise.
6 Go to commentsAll good choices John, even the Tah players ha ha. Others that might be worth a look would be ; Cale, Tom Lynagh, Uru, Keunzle, Anstee and maybe Rory Scott because we need a backup to McReight and he has improved a lot from last year and Tim Ryan.
3 Go to commentsWe only have 12 teams - and probably should only have 10. If we cut it down to 10, had a single round robin format, and only had semi-finals and a grand final, the final game would be on the first weekend of May. Meanwhile the AFL (similar to the NRL) runs until the last weekend of September and starts almost a full month after Super Rugby. At least the players would get plenty of rest!
6 Go to commentsAs article says re Japanese Final. Todd Blackadder up against his old mentor/ coach at Canterbury and the Crusaders , Robbie Deans. Both legends in this part of the world. Richie Mo’unga, ( another legend), playing brilliantly for Toddy’s team.Great to hear.
2 Go to commentsNo doubt Razor will want to kick the 2024 campaign off with a decisive selection of the top match fit players to insure his selection as the appointed coach has maximum impact. We the supporters and critics will settle for nothing less because historically it is what we have become ingrained and accustomed to. With that in mind and the distinct fall from grace of his beloved crusaders we will expect him to stamp his mark in the same way he left his old post.
9 Go to commentsI would've expected a better turn around in response to the changes within the team and its management. Lacking in my opinion is the skill sets that once was and now seemingly vacant within the squads regular front runners. Furthermore there seems to be no set game plan, the accuracy that once was is no more, the quality off the bench were poor matchups and frankly I feel a lot has to do with the coaching. Never thought i’d be critising the sadas to this degree.
5 Go to comments