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Lions legend believes Tom Curry will beat Hamish Watson to No.7 spot
Lions legend Peter Winterbottom is predicting Tom Curry will become the best openside flanker in world rugby and can play a key role for the British and Irish Lions in their test series with South Africa this summer.
However, Winterbottom, who won 58 England caps and wore the Lions No 7 jersey in sevens tests – all against New Zealand – believes it is vital for Curry’s development that England stick to the attacking style of rugby which saw them defeat France not revert back to the ‘dull’ kicking tactics which head coach Eddie Jones has largely used since losing the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.
Jones recognises the special talent Curry possesses and said after the French victory: “He (Curry) is only going to keep improving. It’s frightening to think what he’s going to be like by the World Cup.”
Winterbottom, like Curry, evolved his game as he gained more international experience, improving his handling ability and becoming a crucial weapon for England and the Lions with his foraging at the breakdown and thumping tackling.
He has taken a keen interest in the careers of twins Tom and Ben Curry, who are the nephews of John Olver, the former England hooker, who captained Winterbottom when they both played at Harlequins.
After Curry’s outstanding performance against France, Winterbottom is expecting more of the same when England complete their Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
He told RugbyPass: “I thought Tom was outstanding against France and the way England played gave him so many more opportunities. If you are an openside and England are playing a conservative style of rugby, as they have done for who knows how long, it is not easy to stand out.
“As an openside you are not going to get that many opportunities to run with the ball and then it is all about your defensive work.
“When Tom came on the scene he was incredibly young and I was very annoyed when Eddie Jones made him No 8 for England. You had a guy learning his trade and who will potentially become the best in the world at No 7 and you are putting him at No 8, and I thought that was just wrong.
“Tom thrived with the way England played against France, carried the ball more and looked like he was getting into positions to use his ball-handling and off-loading. He has a big engine and gets around the pitch and is an all-style No 7, popping up into all different positions and that is very impressive.
“England have to keep the ball moving and into space and cannot go back to the kicking game. There is no point in doing that.
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“It seems that the World Cup final defeat to South Africa in 2019 had a real impact on their thinking and the way they perceived how to win test matches. England just played pressure rugby and waited for mistakes and capitalised on that and two years later they have realised it is not about that.
“The game is not just about kicking – it is about creating opportunities.”
Winterbottom has also been impressed with the form of Hamish Watson, the combative Scotland openside, and sees him as Curry’s main rival for the Lions jersey for the three-Test series with the Springboks, which may be staged in the UK due to the impact of COVID-19 in South Africa.
He added: “Tom is a hell of a player now and will get better and better and turn into someone like Richie McCaw.
“One of the interesting things is that Tom has been in an England team playing some pretty dull rugby, except for last Saturday, and I am sure he is desperate to get selected for whatever happens with the Lions this summer and he has some big competition from Hamish Watson of Scotland. It is a big year for Tom and having that competition for the Lions place is going to make him push even harder.
“At the moment I would pick Tom, although it will be a close thing with Watson, while you also have Justin Tipuric, a slightly different type of player.
“In a team playing quality rugby I think Tom offers a little bit more than Watson and is going to become the best in the world.”
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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….
84 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