1
Tom Curry has taken tips from Billy Vunipola and David Pocock to ease his adjustment to No.8, but the England back row will still play to his own strengths.
ADVERTISEMENT
Curry was one of the stars of last autumn’s World Cup, his ferocious defence and power in the carry identifying him as one of the game’s most potent flankers.
But Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against France in Paris is his first start at No.8 after Vunipola was ruled out of the tournament by a broken arm.
Curry has been chosen over Lewis Ludlam and Ben Earl to fill the void created by Vunipola’s absence and the 21-year-old has turned to his England team-mate and Australia great Pocock for guidance.
Continue reading below…
WATCH: Jim Hamilton discusses the affects Shaun Edwards will have on the French team’s hope at future success.
“I don’t think my game changes massively because of this. I want to stay true to myself,” the 2019 world player of the year nominee said.
“An eight will get into different positions to a six or seven so there might be a few more opportunities to carry and I may be in the backfield a bit more.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I’ve analysed players, so how Pocock moved to eight, how Billy carries at eight.
“Billy’s work-rate and how he thinks about the game – I’ve analysed them and take things from them, but at the same time I want to do what I’m good at.
If England beat France in Paris tomorrow, things are looking good for a Grand Slam
– writes @AndyGoode10 ????????? #FRAvENGhttps://t.co/pOYHVtopH4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 1, 2020
“As a team we need to go at France from zero to 80 and must be relentless. Every tackle, every carry, every clean-out has to be done with the fullest intent we have.”
For the first time since June 2018, England will enter a Test with a new face at full-back after George Furbank was given his debut for the Stade de France showdown.
ADVERTISEMENT
Furbank’s promotion forces Elliot Daly on to the left wing, the position where he won the majority of his 42 caps until being moved to 15 in an experiment that appears to be over following the World Cup.
Furbank has flourished at Northampton this season after being given a roaming role by coach Chris Boyd and Jonny May, who lines up on the right wing, expects that form to translate to the international arena.
“I’ve been really impressed with George. He’s a young guy but is mature and he’s ready,” May said.
“He has a great appreciation for the game and has a bit of X-factor to his running game and skill set.
“He’s one of those players who looks like he’s got time on the ball. All the training we do is designed to put us under stress and fatigue to test our skill set.
Everyone needs to be ready: Le Crunch could be spectacular ??
– @alexshawsport unpacks tomorrow's game ??? #FRAvENGhttps://t.co/GqSipiaDKU
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 1, 2020
“He always looks like he’s got time on the ball and that’s the trait of potentially a world-class player.”
France are playing their first match under new head coach Fabien Galthie and May insists they enter the new World Cup cycle as a force to be reckoned with.
“France have a dangerous backline. They have an offloading game, smart players, good decision-makers, attacking kickers,” May said.
“When they get on the front foot, the French are probably the best in the world at hitting gaps. They’re very dangerous so we’ll have to be at our best.
“They’re a difficult team to anticipate or predict because they can turn it on like that, they can be dangerous.
“I re-watched the World Cup quarter-final they played against Wales and they will have been pretty disappointed to lose that game.
“You can sense it’s a new era for them, a fresh start. The game is a sell-out and they’ll be flying out of the blocks.”
Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
I wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to comments