Curry eases Jones’ back row headache
TOM CURRY playing at No8 has been the hot topic for the past two weeks but England’s back row conundrum always comes back to the fact that Billy Vunipola is not available.
That has left Eddie Jones with a headache which might have eased after yesterday’s win at Murrayfield.
Curry is a No7 playing No8 and Sam Underhill is a No7 playing No7. Curry also played No6 at the World Cup and while there is a big difference between playing No6 and No7, in terms of how you play the game No6 and No8 are more interchangeable.
The game against Scotland was one for flankers, played to their strengths and the pair were both exceptional. But further down the track where will Eddie go? Nathan Hughes is out of favour so Curry looks like he will be at No8 at least until Vunipola comes back.
I preferred No8 just because you are in the thick of it. I didn’t play a lot of No7 and at No6 you are in danger of not being able to get into the game if you are not careful because invariably you are the third at the ruck.
At No6 you are reacting to stuff and sometimes at No7 you are first at the breakdown but at No6 and No8 you are reacting to what has happened at the breakdown.
SCRUMMAGING
Scrummaging at No8 is not too difficult to pick up but ball control at the base of the scrum can be an issue if the set-piece is not stable. Against France, Curry lost one ball but his pack was going backwards and it was not his fault. You have got to be comfortable with the ball at your feet at No8 and that comes with time.
CARRYING
A lot depends on the balance of the back row. With Billy playing he is the primary ball carrier and your role between No6 and No7 is to support him. The issue I have is not necessarily playing Curry at No8, it is that the balance of the pack looks wrong. If you are not the main ball carrier it becomes more difficult.
ATTACK
Again, all down to the carrying. Billy Vunipola’s absence was made worse by another heavy carrier, Manu Tuilagi, being injured. Mako Vunipola was brought in to beef up this department and did a bit yesterday. Curry also got stuck in and did a fair bit of carrying from No8.
DEFENCE
If you are playing No7 then off first phase you are there first on the floor, at No6 you are there slower. If you are No7 you are straight in on the ball but if you are No6 and No8 you are playing a bit more heads up. But are you going to be effective at the breakdown or are you going to be the first defender? Underhill was all over the ball in defence.
VERDICT
Overall Curry and Underhill had a pretty good day in desperate conditions and Eddie may stick with what he has got now. A couple of times Curry was caught waiting in the backfield for kicks, which takes him out of the game. That takes away some of his strengths, including his breakdown work. It was only his second cap at No8 after a lifetime at flanker, after all.