TOM CURRY: WE’LL ATTACK THE NEW SEASON WITH EVERYTHING WE’VE GOT

Tom Curry says he’s expecting plenty of competition for starting places in the Sharks back-row as he targets a spot in Alex Sanderson’s XV this season.

Your Sharks have recruited 12 new players ahead of the new campaign, with back-row reinforcements including Courtney Lawes, Elia Canakaivata and Christ Tshiunza adding to a list that already included Tom, twin brother Ben, Sam Dugdale and Jacques Vermeulen.

And after a tough pre-season, the England and Lions flanker is right up for the challenge that new recruits bring.

“It’s great for the club, probably for training and the day-to-day stuff, more than anything,” Tom said of the new arrivals. “It’s raised the levels in training. That’s not to say we’ve been cruising before but the very best pick up on the tiny details that make every team better.

“It’s been a hard pre-season but it’s exciting to get the chance to play with these guys and we’ve had a good opportunity to work on how we want to attack this season.

“I just hope I’ll be playing. We have so many different sorts of players – like Jacques and Courtney are both tall but they play slightly differently. We have so many options and we’ll need to work out what works best as the season goes along.

“I want to bring my defensive skills but on top of that it’s how many times I can touch the ball and how many involvements I can get. I want to bring that ability to be physical to stop the ball and get it going in attack.”

Curry has proved his versatility in recent years in both club and international colours, with appearances in all three back-row positions, and he says he enjoys all three positions for very different reasons.

“They all bring something different,” he said. “Playing seven means you’re around the ball more, and in the middle of the pitch more but there’s less carrying,” he said. “Playing six, you have more set-piece involvements and you find yourself on the edge more.

“Number eight is probably a mix of the two and I’m enjoying it. That’s when I feel like I play my best, when I’m doing a bit of everything.”

Tom has enjoyed a longer pre-season with his club this time around after missing out on the build-up to last season due to the Lions tour and wrist surgery.

And he says that’s put him in good stead for the new campaign.

“Last season I didn’t really have a pre-season,” he said. “I came back from the Lions and had surgery, then had two weeks off and was straight back into training. Before I knew it, it was the Autumn Nations games for England.

“So I definitely feel like my body is in a better spot than at the start of last season.

“This pre-season has felt great. We’ve been pushed to the max by the coaches and we’ve definitely been running a lot. That’s brought us all together and made us feel like we’re ready.

“I guess everyone will say their pre-season has gone well. What matters is how we bring it to life on Saturday when everyone is back together, and that’s the exciting bit. A new season is always unknown but we’ll attack it with everything we’ve got.”

One new face Tom is looking forward to lining up alongside is Courtney Lawes with the pair having last shared a pitch in the 2023 World Cup semi-final.

“Courtney is very calm and has a real controlling influence,” he said. “His breakdown ability is great and I know I can learn a lot from him and the way he trains. I’ve been keeping an eye on him and asking him a lot of questions.

“For a tall guy he has a real ability to control his feet, and he has great hand-eye coordination. He’s great to watch and it’ll be brilliant to play with him again. You know that something is going to happen around him.

“He’s been flying around and I’m looking forward to seeing him go on Saturday.”