Tom Curry and Sam Underhill make mark as England show Rugby World Cup-winning potential

Tom Curry is regarded as something of a left-field character within the England squad having made it his mission in Japan to visit one of the country’s cat cafes.

No-one in the squad will go with him so he was waiting for his parents to arrive for Saturday’s game so he can go with them instead.

He is only 21, after all.

It is incredible that at such a tender age he was able to outplay the Wallaby back row greats Michael Hooper and David Pocock and win the man of the match award.

The bald facts are that he gave one try assist to Jonny May, picked off a turnover and made 16 tackles but it was the energy and dynamism he and back row wingman Sam Underhill brought alongside England’s monstrous muscle men that Australia’s fabled ‘Pooper’ combination could not live with.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and England are copying from the Wallaby template in employing a specialist No 7 like Curry at No 6 only on Saturday he and Underhill did it better.

Underhill actually made four more tackles than his squad dining partner but if one moment illustrated the impact Curry had it was the bruising hit on Reece Hodge which immediately followed the turnover.

“You play rugby for the physicality and when you get moments like that it’s special. They are big statements,” said Curry.

He was everywhere.

Could there be two of him? Well he does have a twin, Sam, back at Sale but this was all his own work under the roof at Oita Stadium.

The 40,000-capacity venue, home to J League football side Oita Trinita, was a surprise choice to stage two of the quarter-finals.

Oita is more famous for its onsens – the natural thermal spas that are dotted around this geologically active country – than its rugby but as the base for World Cup sponsors Canon it packed powerful political clout.

Awash with white and gold on Saturday, it provided a spectacular backdrop for a terrific occasion.

Australia had their moments but England’s white wall was largely impenetrable. It was only breached once and that took the flaring pace of Marika Koroibete to do so.

Defence wins World Cups so they say.

If that was all England offered then their semi-final opponents might have less of a headache but four tries suggests they have sufficient balance to trouble anyone. There was a nice mix to their play.

Can they go all the way? Well they are certainly running hot after Saturday. Especially Curry.

source: express.co.uk