Curry returns for England test against Japan 2 weeks after being KO’ed making a tackle
Curry returns for England test against Japan 2 weeks after being KO’ed making a tackle
England’s Tom Curry on the floor gets a treatment from team doctors during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between England and Australia, at Twickenham stadium, London Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
New Zealand’s Cortez Ratima, centre, as England’s Tom Curry chases the ball during the Autumn Nations Series rugby match between England and New Zealand, at Twickenham stadium, in London Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick walks on the pitch to watch his players during the warm-up ahead of the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between England and South Africa, at Twickenham, in London, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
England head coach Steve Borthwick give a team talk during a team run at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
England’s Tom Curry on the floor gets a treatment from team doctors during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between England and Australia, at Twickenham stadium, London Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
England’s Tom Curry on the floor gets a treatment from team doctors during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between England and Australia, at Twickenham stadium, London Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
New Zealand’s Cortez Ratima, centre, as England’s Tom Curry chases the ball during the Autumn Nations Series rugby match between England and New Zealand, at Twickenham stadium, in London Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
New Zealand’s Cortez Ratima, centre, as England’s Tom Curry chases the ball during the Autumn Nations Series rugby match between England and New Zealand, at Twickenham stadium, in London Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick walks on the pitch to watch his players during the warm-up ahead of the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between England and South Africa, at Twickenham, in London, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick walks on the pitch to watch his players during the warm-up ahead of the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between England and South Africa, at Twickenham, in London, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
England head coach Steve Borthwick give a team talk during a team run at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
England head coach Steve Borthwick give a team talk during a team run at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
LONDON (AP) — Tom Curry returns to England’s team for the rugby test against Japan at Twickenham on Sunday, two weeks after being knocked out while making a tackle against Australia.
It was the flanker’s second significant head injury of the season. Curry was also removed from a club match for Sale in September. He has been concussed five times in the last two years.
Amid growing concerns about brain injuries in rugby, England’s coaches have said they were making adjustments to Curry’s technique around contact in an effort to reduce his concussion risk. Assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge insisted this week that every precaution has been taken in Curry’s recovery and the flanker was “100% fit, healthy and ready to go.”
Curry came in on Friday for Chandler Cunningham-South, while the other change saw George Furbank replace Freddie Steward at fullback.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour, a 20-year-old prop, is set to earn his first England senior cap from the bench.
England has lost its last five tests — the national team last lost six in a row in 2006 — but has never lost to Japan. England was Japan’s first opponent of the year in June, and lost 52-17 in Tokyo.
“We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo,” under-pressure England coach Steve Borthwick said.
“Japan are a dangerous team so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes.”
Japan beat Uruguay 36-20 last weekend in Chambery, France, and reverted to a lineup closer to that which met France two weeks ago and lost 52-12 at the Stade de France.
Lock Sanaila Waqa starts in place of Warner Dearns, who was suspended for four games for his red card against Uruguay.
Takuro Matsunaga, the flyhalf against Uruguay, has moved to fullback, and New Zealander Nicholas McCurran, normally a midfielder, will wear the 10 jersey.
Regular flyhalf and captain Harumichi Tatekawa was injured scoring a try against France and returned home.
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Lineups:
England: George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet; Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, George Martin, Maro Itoje, Will Stuart, Jamie George (captain), Ellis Genge. Reserves: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South, Harry Randall, Fin Smith, Tom Roebuck.
Japan: Takuro Matsunaga, Tomoki Osada, Dylan Riley, Siosaia Fifita, Jone Naikabula, Nicholas McCurran, Naoto Saito (captain); Faulua Makisi, Kazuki Himeno, Kanji Shimokawa, Epineri Uluiviti, Sanaila Waqa, Shuhei Takeuchi, Mamoru Harada, Takato Okabe. Reserves: Seunghyuk Lee, Yukio Morikawa, Keijiro Tamefusa, Daichi Akiyama, Tevita Tatafu, Ben Gunter, Shinobu Fujiwara, Yusuke Kajimura.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby