Sale ready to unleash England duo on Leicester after long wait

Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson is set for a welcome boost with the news that England internationals Tom Curry and Raffi Quirke are set to return to the side that entertains play-off chasing Leicester Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

The England and Lions back-row Curry has been out of action since he suffered a grade-three calf tear in the warm-up before England’s shock Six Nations defeat to Italy at the beginning of March.

He has only played seven times for Sale this season, and had been due to make his comeback in the 21-15 defeat at Gloucester last Friday, but was held back at the last minute by the club’s medical staff.

While scrum-half Quirke, who is off to Newcastle Red Bulls at the end of the season, has been out of action with a hamstring injury since the 31-26 defeat to Gallagher PREM champions Bath in March, but has been cleared to make his return to action.

“Let’s just say they are up for selection, and I think it’ll be idiotic not to involve them in some way because it’s dragged on and on, but with Tom, and everyone really, you don’t want to bring them back too early.

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17 May 26

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“He was medically ruled out last week for the loading that he got through. If he hits certain metrics in the week, without any repercussions, stiffness, soreness, and what have you, then he’s been given the all clear. So we take the lead from the medical team.

“But he’s flying. It’s really good news. He’s coming out this week, driving standards, as he does every week. He doesn’t look like he’s missed a step. He looks like he could have played last week and the week before, such is his movement and his comms and all of that. That’s a sure sign that the injury hasn’t taken anything out of him and is no less a player, and no less a person.

“He’s raring to go, and he’s fresh. That’s the main thing. I guess we haven’t seen as much of him. It’s been fits and starts this season, isn’t it? Played a few games for us, then played quite a lot for England.

“He featured quite a lot over the Christmas period and then went to the Six Nations and then got injured again at the back end. It’s just niggles rather than the chronic injuries which we’ve spoken about in the past. Tom is always 0 to 100,” said Sanderson.