1. Early Life and Background
Tom Curry was born on 15 June 1998 in Hounslow, London, England. He is the twin brother of Sale Sharks flanker Ben Curry, who is also a professional rugby player and his current teammate. Their father, David Curry, serves as the head teacher at Bishop Heber High School. Tom Curry's family has deep roots in rugby; his uncle, John Olver, is a former England hooker, and his cousin, Sam Olver, is a fly-half who has played for Northampton Saints and currently plays for Doncaster Knights.
Curry received his education at Oundle School, where he completed his sixth form. Notably, his uncle John Olver also taught at Oundle School. In the early stages of his amateur rugby career, Curry played for Crewe & Nantwich, where he was coached by his father.
2. Career
Tom Curry's professional rugby career has seen him achieve significant milestones at both club and international levels, including his time with Sale Sharks, the England national team, and the British & Irish Lions.
2.1. Club Career
Curry has spent his entire professional club career with Sale Sharks, making a rapid ascent through the ranks since his debut.
2.1.1. Debut and Early Career
Tom Curry made his professional debut for Sale Sharks on 15 October 2016, playing against Scarlets in the European Rugby Champions Cup. This appearance made him the fourth-youngest English player and the youngest Sale Sharks player to compete in the elite European competition. He continued to make an immediate impact, scoring a try on his Premiership Rugby debut on 30 October 2016, which positioned him as the third-youngest try-scorer in the competition's history. At the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, Curry was recognized for his outstanding initial performances, sharing the Sale Sharks' Young Player of the Season award with his twin brother, Ben Curry.
2.1.2. Major Seasons and Achievements
Curry continued to be a pivotal player for Sale Sharks in subsequent seasons. In the 2020-21 season, he captained the team in their semi-final defeat to Exeter Chiefs, marking his first appearance in a Premiership play-off match for the club. During the 2021-22 season, he made 11 appearances for Sale, including starting in their Champions Cup quarter-final loss to Racing 92.
In the 2022-23 season, Curry demonstrated his scoring ability, contributing a try in Sale's second-round victory over Bath Rugby. He followed this with another try against the defending champions, Leicester Tigers, in round five at Welford Road Stadium. On 11 December 2022, he scored his first try in the Champions Cup during Sale's dominant 39-0 win against Ulster.
2.1.3. Injuries and Rehabilitation
Throughout his club career, Tom Curry has faced several significant injuries that have impacted his playing time. In November 2023, he underwent a hip operation. This surgery unfortunately ruled him out for the entirety of the 2023-24 Premiership Rugby season, as well as the 2024 Six Nations. In December 2024, in a proactive measure aimed at ensuring his fitness for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Curry underwent stem-cell therapy treatment.
2.2. International Career
Tom Curry has had a distinguished international career, representing England at various levels and earning significant accolades.
2.2.1. Youth International Career
Curry's international journey began at the youth level, where he represented England U18. On 14 October 2016, he was named in the England U20 squad for the 2016-17 season. He was an integral part of the England U20 team that achieved a Grand Slam victory in the 2017 Six Nations Under 20 Championship.
2.2.2. England Senior Debut and Progression
Curry's impressive performances led to his call-up to the senior England squad by then-coach Eddie Jones for their 2017 summer tour of Argentina. His first appearance for England was in a non-test fixture against the Barbarians on 28 May 2017, where he was named Man of the Match. He earned his first official cap for England in the first test against Argentina in June 2017, playing at flanker. This debut made him the youngest player to start at flanker for England and the youngest England forward since 1912. He has demonstrated versatility in his international career, playing both as a flanker (FL) and a number eight (No.8). As of December 2022, Curry had accumulated 46 caps for England.
2.2.3. Six Nations and World Cup Participation
Curry has been a consistent presence in England's major international campaigns. In the 2019 Six Nations Championship, he started all of England's matches at openside flanker (No 7) and scored tries against both Wales and Scotland. He was a key player in England's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, starting at blindside flanker (No 6) in the final, where England finished as runner-up. In 2020, he contributed to England's victories in both the Six Nations Championship and the Autumn Nations Cup.
During the November 2021 Autumn Nations Series, Curry was named as a vice-captain alongside Courtney Lawes and Ellis Genge. He started the opening match of the series against Tonga at Number 8, and also played a starting role in England's subsequent victories over Australia and South Africa.
In the 2022 Six Nations Championship, Curry was selected for Jones' 36-man squad. He was named captain for the opening match against Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium, becoming England's youngest captain since 1988, though England ultimately lost the match 17-20. He also started in England's victories over Italy and Wales. England finished the 2022 Six Nations in third place.
Curry was included in England's squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. In the opening Pool D match against Argentina, he received a yellow card in the third minute for head-on-head contact with Juan Cruz Mallía, which was subsequently upgraded to a red card under the 'bunker' review system. This made him the first England player to be shown a red card in a Rugby World Cup match. As a result, he was suspended for England's subsequent matches against Japan and Chile.
In October 2024, coach Steve Borthwick included Curry among 16 players in the Rugby Football Union's pioneering Elite Player Squad initiative in England. In January 2025, he was named in the starting lineup alongside his brother, Ben, for the first time at international level for England's opening match of the 2025 Six Nations Championship against Ireland.
2.2.4. Captaincy
Tom Curry has had the honor of captaining the England national team on multiple occasions. He led the side from openside flanker in the opening match of the 2022 Six Nations Championship against Scotland, becoming England's youngest captain since 1988. Additionally, he was named captain for England's fixture against the Barbarians at Twickenham in June 2022, a match which England lost 52-21.
2.2.5. Injuries and Disciplinary Actions
Curry's international career has been punctuated by several injuries. During the 2022 Six Nations, he suffered a concussion against Wales, leading to his exit at half-time, though he passed return-to-play protocols for the next match. However, he sustained a hamstring injury just 14 minutes into the game against Ireland, ruling him out of the final tournament match against France. On England's 2022 tour of Australia, he suffered another concussion in the first test match, which led to him being ruled out for the remainder of the series. A hamstring tear while on club duty with Sale also forced him to miss the first two games of the 2023 Six Nations.
In terms of disciplinary actions, Curry received a yellow card in England's final match against South Africa during the 2022 end-of-year international fixtures. Most notably, he received a red card in the opening Pool D match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup against Argentina, becoming the first England player to be sent off in a Rugby World Cup.
2.3. British & Irish Lions Career
Tom Curry achieved a significant milestone in his career when he was selected in the 37-man squad for the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa in the summer of 2021. He made his debut for the Lions in the first of two tour matches against the Cell C Sharks. Three days later, he came off the bench in the second match against the Sharks, where he scored his only try of the tour. His final appearance before the test series was in the Lions' first loss of the tour against South Africa 'A'. Curry went on to start all three test matches against South Africa at openside flanker, with the Lions ultimately losing the series 2-1.
3. Personal Life
Tom Curry's personal life is closely intertwined with his family, many of whom are also involved in rugby. He is the twin brother of Ben Curry, who plays alongside him as a flanker for Sale Sharks. Their father, David Curry, is the head teacher at Bishop Heber High School. Rugby is a family tradition, with his uncle, John Olver, being a former England hooker, and his cousin, Sam Olver, playing as a fly-half. Curry attended Oundle School for his sixth form education.
In December 2024, Curry underwent stem-cell therapy treatment. This procedure was undertaken in response to his recent injury history and as part of a broader strategy to ensure his fitness and availability for the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup.
4. Statistics and Honours
Tom Curry's career has been marked by notable international tries and team achievements.
4.1. List of international tries
| Try | Opposing team | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wales | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2019 Six Nations | 23 February 2019 | Loss | 13 - 21 |
| 2 | Scotland | London, England | Twickenham Stadium | 2019 Six Nations | 16 March 2019 | Draw | 38 - 38 |
| 3 | Ireland | London, England | Twickenham Stadium | 2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up | 24 August 2019 | Win | 57 - 15 |
| 4 | Italy | Rome, Italy | Stadio Olimpico | 2020 Six Nations | 31 October 2020 | Win | 34 - 5 |
| 5 | Ireland | Dublin, Ireland | Aviva Stadium | 2025 Six Nations | 1 February 2025 | Loss | 27 - 22 |
5. Honours
- Rugby World Cup / Webb Ellis Cup
- Runner-up: 2019