England and Sale Sharks flanker Tom Curry is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing hip surgery, casting doubt on his participation in the next World Cup. The 25-year-old, who earned his 50th cap for England at the 2023 World Cup, has been advised by Harley Street specialists to have a clearout operation to repair wear and tear around his hip socket and shave off a small amount of bone.
Sale's director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, described the surgery as the only option for the young player. 'This is the only option. He is still a young lad and it’s the best thing for him in the short term, to ensure he is able to be more robust [and] to train and progress his game the way he wants to,' Sanderson said. Curry will undergo a lengthy rehabilitation and is expected to be unavailable for both club and country until next autumn.
Curry's all-action style has made him a key player for England and Sale, but he has suffered a series of injuries. A hamstring problem ruled him out of the 2023 Six Nations, and he damaged an ankle ahead of the World Cup. During the tournament, he was sent off just three minutes into England's opening pool match against Argentina.
In other injury news, Gloucester prop Val Rapava-Ruskin has been told he needs knee surgery and will be out for several months. However, Saracens have provided a more positive update on Ben Earl, who underwent knee surgery but is expected to be fit for the start of the Six Nations. Saracens coach Mark McCall said, 'I think he will be playing in the month of January. There are three or four games in January so that would be ample time for Ben to get in.'
Saracens will be without England centre Alex Lozowski until next summer after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament, while forward Callum Hunter-Hill is sidelined for four months. However, Elliot Daly has been cleared to play immediately after a hamstring scare.
