England flanker Tom Curry has opened up about the emotional toll he faced before undergoing hip surgery last season, revealing he “curled up into a ball” and cried to his girlfriend, Lilla, after receiving news that his career might be in jeopardy.
The 26-year-old had surgery in February following a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome, a condition where the hip joint’s ball isn’t perfectly round, potentially causing long-term damage. Curry’s diagnosis came after England’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign.
Reflecting on the moment he learned of the severity of his condition, Curry described it as “horrible.” He said: “I was lucky because Lilla was there at the time, but I just cried. I curled up into a ball. I couldn’t process it—it was surreal.”
One of the hardest parts of his recovery was being unable to run. “That was the toughest hurdle to get over because it felt like nothing was improving,” Curry said.
However, the Sale Sharks star credits his rehabilitation team at Loughborough for helping him through the darkest moments. “I worked with some really special people. Their eye for detail was incredible, and they essentially taught me how to run again.”
Curry made his comeback over the summer, featuring in three of England’s warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup, including a win over Japan and two close defeats against New Zealand.
“It meant everything to me,” Curry said. “Having the confidence of Steve [Borthwick] and the coaches was huge. I missed parts of the World Cup and Six Nations, so now I just want to stay fit and give my best.”
“Our Dad loved him” – England flanker Tom Curry names his four favourite back-rowers of all-time
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#1. Richard Hill
The flanker was “first on the team-sheet,” according to Martin Johnson and Sir Clive Woodward. Praised by Jeremy Guscott for his “work rate”, it is no wonder the forward scored so many points.
Curry said: “I have to go Hilly. As a mentor growing up from 15 he has to be in my team. His reputation and how good he was as a player, I think he’d be really fun to play with.”