LE TOUQUET, France (AP) — England will give free-again flanker Tom Curry a chance to start the Rugby World Cup anew against Samoa next weekend.
Curry has completed a two-game suspension and tackle school.
“Tough for him (with the ban) but he has reacted really well and got stuck into his training and looked really good,” England attack coach Richard Wigglesworth said on Sunday.
“I don't think he will hold much back. He is all action, he is as fit as a fiddle, and that is the way he plays. He has multiple actions in-game where he affects the game. I think we will get the best of Tom Curry in terms of him getting straight into it from the start so absolutely delighted to have him back.”
Captain Owen Farrell, who had to miss England's first two matches because of his own suspension, said of Curry, "I'm sure he can't wait to show what he can do.
“He is in a good place I think. I don't think there's too much revving up Tom can do anyway — he's pretty much at 100% every time at training.”
Curry was the first player to be red-carded at this Rugby World Cup and the first Englishman ever, just three minutes into the opening match against Argentina on day two. He crashed heads with Juan Cruz Mallia.
Without him, England still won by 27-10 thanks to the brilliant boot of George Ford, then defeated Japan 34-12 and Chile 71-0 to be three-for-three in Pool D.
Samoa's defeat to Japan on Thursday secured England a place in the quarterfinals in its bye week, but there wasn't much celebrating, according to Wigglesworth, even though they were written off by most beforehand for poor results in the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup warmups.
“Was there a pat on the back? Absolutely not, no,” he said. "It's not what we do. It's not what you do if you're trying to be any good. You try to turn up and get better and if stuff happens on the back of that then great.
“As for the outside noise (criticism), it wasn't even on our radar in terms of any sort of relief, that side of it. We expected to be where we’re at.”
Farrell agreed.
“We believe in what we're doing and have done even when things weren't going quite as we would want them to,” he said.
“We're happy with what we have put out so far but we have a massive appetite to improve, a massive appetite to get better and to kick on. It's a great chance to do that this week against Samoa.”
England is guaranteed to finish on top of Pool D, no matter the result against Samoa next Saturday in Lille. But Wigglesworth said England will not be experimenting before the quarterfinals. Marcus Smith played at fullback for the first time against Chile.
Farrell was also only two points away from eclipsing Jonny Wilkinson as England's all-time leading point-scorer. Farrell's 16 points against Chile left him one point behind Wilkinson.
“I didn't really know it was on the cards before the last game,” Farrell said. “Jonny was a massive hero of mine and he obviously did it in a bit less time (91 caps to Farrell's 108). I have not had a chance to sit down and give it too much thought. I can't imagine I will do any time soon. It is obviously always an honor to represent England enough times to be able to be in with a shout of things like that but my focus is on the team and where we are going in this competition.”
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