England flanker Tom Curry is set to undergo surgery on a wrist ligament injury — but only after playing a starring role in the British and Irish Lions’ hard-fought 2-1 series win over Australia.
The Sale Sharks powerhouse was arguably the player of the series, answering his critics in emphatic fashion after questions were raised over his selection for the first Test. Curry’s performances were relentless, physical, and full of heart — a key figure as the Lions roared to victory Down Under.
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But it’s now been revealed that Curry has been carrying a long-standing wrist issue — and will need an operation when he returns from Lions duty.
“He will need an operation at some point, but he’s clearly able to manage it and play through whatever pain he’s experiencing currently,” said Sale head coach Alex Sanderson.
“It’s not something that is stopping his game minutes or something that’s managing his training minutes either.
“He had to play and play through to see if he could, and if the risk was minimised, which the specialist was happy with, and the pain was manageable, which it clearly is for the superhuman that he is, then he’d put himself up for Lions selection.
“The alternative is he could have an operation now and he’d probably miss the last run of games and he might miss the first two games of the Lions.
“That wasn’t a solution, because the level of competition for his position was so high, he had to see if he could manage it.”
With the series now in the books, Curry is expected to finally address the injury — but not before cementing his place as one of the Lions’ standout performers on Australian soil.
EDITORS PICKS:
“Tragic ending” – Five Lions players who flopped in final test against Australia
Amid torrential rain, brutal conditions, and a hostile home crowd, several key Lions players failed to deliver when it mattered most.
From costly handling errors to poor decision-making and defensive lapses, these five players stood out for all the wrong reasons as the Wallabies sealed a memorable victory.
Here’s a look at the Lions’ biggest disappointments on a night that ended in heartbreak.
#1. Bundee Aki
Struggled in wet conditions, initially promising with strong carries but quickly neutralized by Australia’s defense. Committed costly handling errors, including a knock-on near his own tryline and an offside penalty that extended Australia’s lead. Missed a key pass that led to an Australian try and was frequently swallowed up by defenders. Overall, a very poor performance with uncharacteristic mistakes throughout.
Rugby Pass 3/10: “Given the conditions, there was understandably not a lot of width put on the ball, which made Aki’s hard carries all the more important, and he looked promising at first, but the Wallabies handled him comfortably as the match developed. Made a costly knock-on in front of his line, and was unceremoniously swarmed on and held up on a couple of occasions by the voracious Wallaby defence. An offside penalty allowed the Wallabies to extend their lead in the first half, and his handling deteriorated to the point where he could barely hold the ball in the second half.”
BALLS 4/10: “Swallowed up and conceded a turnover on carry off a Lions lineout. Costly knock-on near his tryline. Was getting bounced back on some hard carries. Overran line and missed Kinghorn pass, leading to Jorgensen try. Another error, on 58 minutes. Offloaded out of play, but Lions had advantage.”
Telegraph 2/10: “A Farrell loyalty pick that completely backfired. Kept turning over possession and eventually gave Jorgensen a try on a plate.”
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