1
'Everyone's mentioning selection as if it's a negative for players'
Tom Curry has taken issue with the perception that one player playing well for the Lions is possibly seen as a negative for another player trying to gain selection in that position. The England back-rower is the last of the 37 Lions originals to assemble in Jersey to get a chance to play when he lines out at openside against the Sharks on Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Warren Gatland has so far gone with starting back rows consisting of Tadhg Beirne, Justin Tipuric and Jack Conan against Japan, with Taulupe Faletau in reserve, and Courtney Lawes, Hamish Watson and Faletau in the win over Sigma Lions, with Sam Simmonds providing cover.
Although Tipuric’s tour was ended by injury at Murrayfield, some other back-rowers have seriously impressed and it leaves Curry with it all to do to make a good first impression when he debuts for the Lions after a pectoral muscle injury kept him out of selection for the opening matches.
Curry will start in an intriguing Lions back row made up of Simmonds and Josh Navidi, the blindside summoned to tour in place of the stricken Tipuric. The narrative is that the Sale flanker has much ground to regain but he doesn’t go along with this negative slant, insisting it has been great for the Lions to see rival back-rowers playing so well on a tour that was hit by the news on Tuesday evening that next Saturday’s match versus the Bulls was off.
“Everyone is mentioning selection as if it is a negative thing for the players but it’s not. It’s brilliant to see Tadhg go well, it’s brilliant Courtney and Hamish at the weekend because it shows we are doing something right as a group.
The Lions on threatened Bulls call-off, hypothetically facing Georgia instead, and why Stuart Hogg is now a doubt to be involved versus the Sharks… #LionsRugby
https://t.co/TpAeVD7lAE— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 6, 2021
“Everybody who has played has played well and that is the brilliant thing about his side at the minute, the competition. I can’t wait to get my opportunity, to get stuck in and love it. Especially with Sam and Navidi, they are both unbelievable players… playing with those two is going to be really exciting. Sam, especially in attack, and then having Navidi around the breakdown defensively, it’s a really exciting combination and one that I have been excited to learn off.”
Curry has already been learning off Navidi in other ways, the Welsh forward who has been nicknamed ‘Navichi’ taking him and Tadhg Furlong under his wing to learn h0w to DJ. “Tadhg and I are coming along nicely. ‘Navichi’ is our mentor. He is a part-time DJ and we are trying to learn as much as possible from him.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The 23-year-old, who has 33 England caps, had his availability for Lions selection delayed after his Sale season ended with an 80-minute run in the Gallagher Premiership semi-final loss to Exeter and his pec injury had him slightly worried.
“Yeah, a little bit. I got a little bit excited on bench press but it is what it is. It’s probably a good thing to put me back in check but it’s all good, ready to go,” he assured before touching on the presence of five colleagues from Sale – Faf de Klerk, Lood de Jager, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jean-Luc du Preez and Dan du Preez – being part of the Springboks squad and how he felt last Sunday at seeing twin brother Ben come off the Twickenham bench to make his England debut.
“I spoke a bit to Jean-Luc du Preez, just seeing how he is. Mostly talking about the altitude, to be honest. I don’t think he is a fan either,” he said about the Sale Bokke connection before switching to family matters.
“It saves my parents a lot of travelling. They are a bit happy with that. Pretty gutted I wasn’t able to see it and congratulate him [Ben] but watching it on the TV he went pretty well. Really excited and he will hopefully be able to push on for more things. There isn’t too much (contact), just good luck, how’s camp sort of thing. I know he is enjoying it and that is what matters really.”
ADVERTISEMENT
?Exclusive?
In @BenKay5 first Lions column for @RugbyPass he says Courtney Lawes has put his hand up for a Test start and pinpoints the defensive frailties that need tightening up ahead of the Sharks game. https://t.co/0pOYd6kq52
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 5, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments