'He is a real physical specimen...and probably the premier No.7 in the country'
Sale captain Jono Ross believes Tom Curry has become England’s outstanding openside flanker and can make the problem No.7 jersey his own in the build-up to this year’s World Cup in Japan.
Curry, who missed England’s Autumn tests after damaging his wrist, has helped Sale move up to fifth in the Gallagher Premiership table alongside twin brother Ben, who is also pressing for England recognition. Tom has won five caps and will be named in the England Six Nations squad by head coach Eddie Jones next week.
Ross, who plays alongside the Curry boys in the Sale back row, knows that Tom faces competition for the England starting role with Bath’s Sam Underhill the main rival, but his backing his teammate to emerge as Jones’s first choice in the Six Nations which kicks off with England’s daunting trip to face Grand Slam champions Ireland in Dublin on February 2. Exeter’s Sam Simmonds, currently injured, and former captain Chris Robshaw, about to return from injury for Harlequins, are also in the No7 mix.
Ross said: “Tom is a fantastic rugby player and probably the premier No.7 in the country at the moment. He is a real physical specimen and the biggest thing for Tom is to stay injury free. He is definitely a player who stands out every week and has the lead on Ben and if he stays fit it will be a massive year for him.
“Tom and Ben are the epitome of professional rugby players and work really hard, are abrasive and constantly want to learn and get better. Ben has been playing well and is growing as a player and they drive each other. They also push guys around them which is great and really sets the standards.”
Ross and the Curry twins have joined Springbok star Faf de Klerk and former captain Josh Beaumont in signing new long term deals at the club and Steve Diamond, the director of rugby, is planning to add three more South African internationals to the squad after the World Cup. It will give Sale, who are aiming to stay top of their European Challenge Cup pool by winning in Connacht on Saturday, a strong spine to ensure they build on this season’s improvements.
“The South African players who have joined have bought into what the squad is about and a lot of our guys are young English guys from the area” added Ross, who was born in Johannesburg but is qualified to play for England.
“South Africans are generally hard workers and quite abrasive rugby players and they key thing is that there is realisation that when you get here you have to work hard. That is expected of you if a player has 50 caps or none.
“The challenge for us is to keep our feet on the ground and continue to improve to become even better. Dorian West (forwards coach) has been fantastic since he has come in, is knowledgeable and has got the players to buy into what he wants. He gets the best out of the guys but we know we are not yet where we can be as a pack. We are not the finished article.”
Diamond has made it clear how important Ross is to the club’s planning stating: “Jono is one of the most professional and dedicated players I have ever had the privilege to coach. He is the catalyst of all good things going on at the club.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments