Ben Curry relishing return to Argentina

South Wales Guardian

17 hours ago

BEN Curry can still remember the moment he understood what it meant to be on a full England tour.
Aged just 18, he and twin brother Tom were bold selections from Eddie Jones eight years ago when England travelled to Argentina deprived of a host of players on Lions duty.
The Sale flankers turned 19 on that tour, and now Ben is set for his second taste of the country with England returning to South America this summer.
But where he was a fresh-faced teenager who grew up very quickly last time around, the responsibilities in 2025 will look very different for Curry, who is now club captain at Sale and a senior member of Steve Borthwick's squad.
Looking back at his 2017 experience, he said: 'It definitely feels like it's been eight years, that feels like an absolute lifetime ago.
'It's a lot more relaxed (now). I definitely don't panic at driving up the gates to Pennyhill (Park, England's training base in Surrey) like I used to. It's an interesting one.
'You probably don't actually really reflect on it every day until stuff like this happens, where it's pretty nuts.
'It wasn't just learning about rugby, it was learning about life on that tour.
'I think I was definitely different, you have to grow up quickly, you're surrounded by proper adults.
'I can't remember who I was rooming with, but he was FaceTiming his children at night, I was like, this is just so weird. I was just in the Under-20s.
'It does make you grow up as a person. I'm hopefully looking to see a bit more of Argentina if I go, I think I just locked myself in my room last time. It's a lovely country.'
That 2017 tour is often brought up as a sliding doors moment for the Curry twins. Ben was due to start for England against the Barbarians before withdrawing at the last minute due to back spasms.
Tom replaced him and then made his debut on that tour of Argentina, with Ben travelling but not getting onto the pitch.
Where his brother is now a 50-capper and set to become a two-time Lions tourist this summer, Ben has had to bide his time.
But in 2025, he has seized his opportunity, the duo starting alongside each other for England for the first time during the Six Nations, with Ben Curry playing in every game of that campaign.
His performances led to suggestions that he would crack Andy Farrell's Lions squad, but that was not the case – Curry revealed that he has not heard anything about a standby list.
That combined with Sale missing out in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs, beaten 21-16 by Leicester Tigers last weekend, could have put a dampener on a stellar campaign, but Curry has already shifted his focus.
He added: 'There's always something different to go after. Obviously you've got to address the emotion of disappointment, but with professional sport, there's always something thrown at you next, and you can't rest, it's about just cracking on to the next thing, and I think it's really exciting.
'In five weeks I might kind of address those emotions, but right now it's quite nice to just kind of throw yourself into something different.'
As a club captain and a Six Nations ever-present, there will inevitably some leadership responsibilities heading Curry's way in the absence of regular skipper Maro Itoje, as well as vice-captains Ellis Genge and Jamie George – currently training with the Lions in Portugal.
And from his own memories of being a youngster in that environment, Curry is doing all he can to help those in the same position, including 21-year-old scrum-half Charlie Bracken, the son of England World Cup winner Kyran.
He explained: 'That tour was just pure panic for me. When you're 18 doing that, I remember my first session with Chris Robshaw, and I was just like medicine ball wrestling with him, I was knackered, I was thinking, this is nuts.
'He's someone I looked up to, and there were a few senior lads on that tour who really helped us out, so if I can do half of what they did for someone else, I think that would be incredible.'
Next up is a home clash with a France XV before the squad fly out to Argentina. Eight years from his last experience, the fresh-faced teenager has grown up.
England XV face France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21 June at 3:15pm. Tickets from £25, please visit www.englandrugby.com/xvtickets