Sanderson warns about selecting Curry too soon
Selecting Tom Curry for this summer’s England tour comes with a warning from Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson – pick him now and risk shortening his Test career.
Curry has defied all logic to return to fitness from a chronic hip injury before the end of the season and is now in contention for a place in Steve Borthwick’s squad.
England have three Tests scheduled – one against Japan in Tokyo on June 22 and a two-match Series against the All Blacks on July 6 and 13 in Dunedin and Auckland, respectively.
When to play Curry is a balancing act that both club and country will have to negotiate as the severity of the damage to his hip, which required a six-hour post-World Cup op, means his game time has to be carefully managed.
“It is not down to me whether Tom goes on tour with England. He will have a conversation with Steve. I will give my view but it is not up to me. If he is fit, it is something he wants to do and Steve needs him, it could be a good opportunity to get his career back on,” Sanderson said. “I know he wants to play for England but understanding he has got a limited shelf-life. If he plays games this summer it will take away games from the back-end of his career. There has to be a careful, considered management.”
Curry doesn’t turn 26 until a couple of weeks’ time and given his standing as one of the best back rowers in the modern game, he could in theory easily double his 50-cap tally for England.
However, Sanderson admits that it would be ‘a stretch’ for the British and Irish Lion to play Test rugby beyond 30 but adds he wouldn’t be surprised if he proved everyone wrong …again.
He said: “Tom defies logic in a lot of ways, doesn’t he? He has actually defied what the medical world thought he could do, he is moving ter than ever, that bet-
is his commitment, that is the kind of lete that he is. ath-“But he will need further operations down the line – in a couple of years, maybe a couple of years after that if he soldiers through, which he can do. But it is of chronic nature, so what is he now, nearly 26, that puts him around 30 with all the tions.” opera-
Meanwhile, Sanderson is confident that new recruit, former Sale player Will Addison, has put his injury woes behind him.
The Cumbrian made over 100 appearances in his first spell at Sale, captained the club and was the first try scorer at the Salford Community Stadium, so needs no introduction to Sharks fans.
Addison, below, left Sale for Ulster in 2018 in a bid to win Test honours with Ireland and he went on to be capped five times.
However, the centre/full-back spent nearly two years on the sidelines with a back problem and then a broken leg before finally making it back onto the pitch last October.
With the equally experienced and versatile Sam James moving on at the end of the season, Addison’s signing on a one-year deal – plus the option of another year – could prove to be a very good piece of business.
“We are confident (of keeping him fit). If you look at the injury record he has had recently he has been really robust the last couple of years,” Sanderson pointed out.
“You find that the concurrent injuries come in spates. We have done our due diligence with him. He has been in for his medical and he is in good form.”
