Tom Curry: England star shares comeback story after career-threatening hip injury

Curry was diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome last year, which involves reoccurring pain around a non-recovering hip joint. The Sale man was warned that his playing career could be coming to an end, yet Curry was able to overcome the odds following a miraculous return from injury.

Curry was back in action for Sale Sharks for the 2023/24 Premiership Rugby play-offs, but could not steer his side past Bath for a place in the final. Despite missing out on the season's showpiece event, Curry has been able to get back under the bright lights of the Allianz Stadium, with three Autumn Series caps rolling into his return, for a leading role upon the England flanks for the 2025 Six Nations.

Due to the back row's injury history, he now has a modified training schedule to that of the rest of the England squad. Curry could be stood down from contact sessions or high intensity drills, even after being named as a fully fit member of Steve Borthwick's training squad. Speaking today at the England training centre in Surrey, Curry expressed what these changes look like, and how his attitude has changed with it.

“Last week (Six Nations fallow week) it was probably highlighted more because it was more of a pre-hab week. Let the body recover, but also, for me, it is not about getting your feet up and resting, It is about doing the work and being smart about it.

"The way I move in the gym, barefoot, ankles, knees being really precise with this stuff. Last week was a down week but it is not just get your feet up – you have still got to work and that is when I feel better. It has changed, but it is not like I have pulled out of everything because you need to do it.

"I also feel like when you are run into the ground, that is what I liked when I was younger, I loved being run into the ground because I wanted to be right for Saturday. Obviously I can’t do that, so I have to be more intelligent with that, but also still (able to) go on Saturday."

Yesterday, Steve Borthwick updated his England training group, and moved Tom Curry and George Martin off the injury rehabilitation list and back onto the fully fit squad list. Manny Feyi-Waboso's dreams of a last-ditch Six Nations return have taken a hit, as the Exeter Chiefs man finds now place in the squad.

Curry has had some adjustments made to his weekly workload, after enduring a litany of injuries throughout his relatively early career. The 26-year-old thanked his England coaches for adapting to his needs, that began with a recurring hamstring injury which he first sustained against Harlequins.

"I need to train. Steve (Borthwick) has been brilliant with me and for me. I can’t thank him enough in terms of he has really invested in my weekly schedule, the same as the physios. It is a team effort obviously. Steve has been very conscious of it. Sometimes I am ‘I want to do this’ and he is ‘no. It is like give and take, working together and we are at a place now where we are on a similar wavelength."

“I came back and said 'I am obviously not flexible enough', so I did loads of yoga, hot yoga and pilates, but then I did my hammy (hamstring) again. That is when the hip stuff started popping up, so they are obviously all linked. It is just about movement, Bob (Stewart) is brilliant here."

England have just come off the back of the first of two Six Nations fallow weeks, with the squad getting together for more recovery orientated training sessions, as opposed to their usually intense Test match preparations. Curry expressed how he spent a good bit of time getting back to his top form, with everyday exercises like walking the dog becoming a preferred method of monitoring his physical state.

“I managed to see the dog, which is the main thing, nice and relaxing. “It is more than the way I walk. I just make sure I am walking on my heels and it is a good distraction so having Toby is good.

"I have got a few places (I take him). He has only got little legs, there are few around Alty, Hale, Dunham Massey, and Tatton Park. He is a not so miniature dachshund, especially when he stay with my parents!"

“There are a lot of things that go into it now, I have got to swing my arms to help move my back. It is interesting. You can overthink it but it is a big part of it, the daily walking."

As nice as it is to enjoy a leisurely stroll with a canine companion, Curry understands that far more is required to stay at the level ready for Test match rugby. The England squad has banded back up together after the fallow week and Curry has immediately sensed an 'edge' to the training intensity, as the players battle for a place in the match day squad to take on Scotland.

“It has been good, obviously the first 48 hours are really good but the main thing, even last week’s training and today’s training are edgy as in people ‘pushing. It is not comfortable, that is the main thing.

"I have won big games and sometimes you come back in and the first session everyone is on their heels a bit. Here everyone is on their toes. It doesn’t mean everything is going right but it means everyone is pushing and that is a really good feeling when it is not perfect, there is stuff to work on, but you know the attitude is right."

Tom could well line up in the starting XV with his twin brother Ben this weekend, in what would be just the second time the Curry's have led from the off in England colours. The Sale stars held down the flanks in the tournament opener in Dublin, with Ben Curry preferred off the bench for the second round win against France. Tom Curry is delighted to see his twin brother continue to raise his game, as one of the training squad members with all the more 'edge'.

"It’s sick (playing with Ben for England). The main thing playing with Ben is that I know he hits. I like to play with people who hit. That’s the main thing and I think we’re getting there as a team."

"It's really cool. He’s done that frequently at club level. To see him do it at the international level makes me really proud. There were a few moments when he might not have, but the last two games is what I’ve seen for the last 26 years. To see him really step up, not just in the games but throughout the week, he’s really taken on the role well and I’m very proud. There’s more to come, we’ve only played two games, I want to see him push on."

Whilst Tom Curry was quick to lay the praise upon his twin and the other hard-working England teammates, the Sale man was a recipient of plenty of adulation from his fellow back row battler. Ben Earl was full of admiration for how hard Curry works to get match ready, given how much the Sharks man had to overcome to even get himself back on a training pitch.

"He's been good, hasn't he? It's great to see him back to his best, I always knew that was going to be the case. He's just a classy, classy player."

"You just see how he's so diligent behind closed doors. You don't really see too much of what he does but some of the stuff he has to do to make sure he plays feeling good is pretty awesome. What's he like? He's just all raw intensity and has been ever since I've met him. He's a standard bearer in that for us, the team, myself. His ability to play through pain and play at such an intensity is inspiring."

"I'm so pleased for him, so pleased for his family, they've been through an awful lot I'm sure, the ups and downs. I'm also pleased because I think Ben's starting to get the recognition for what a good player he has always been but certainly become over the last few weeks. I think he's been fantastic. To see the two of them and go and do there thing was pretty awesome."