When the England team for their Six Nations opener against Scotland was announced, there was a familiar name in at number seven with the well established 'Curry' in to start for Steve Borthwick's first match as England's coach.
Among a host of changes, to many this will have appeared to be some continuity from the Eddie Jones era, with Tom Curry having become one of the best flankers in the world in recent years, However, upon closer inspection, fans will have seen the name 'Ben' next to the now famous surname in the England back row.
Now, fans of Sale Sharks and those of the English Premiership will be more than familiar with the skills of Ben Curry, with Tom's twin brother having been a key part of the Greater Manchester based club for a number of years. Both have been pivotal parts of Sale's team for a the past six seasons and both are equally loved in the north west.
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Hailing from Nantwich, Cheshire, the identical twin brothers were both called up to England's 2017 tour of Argentina as 18-year-olds - a remarkable feat in itself. However, it was Tom who was able to curry favour with Eddie Jones, becoming England's youngest starting forward since 1912 in the first test in South America.
Tom went on to become a crucial part of the team which reached the 2019 World Cup final, following which the then 21-year-old was nominated for World Rugby's player of the year award. This was a remarkable feat, with 46 England caps and three Lions tests to follow in what is a hugely impressive rugby CV for a player who is just 24.
Meanwhile, Ben did not make his debut until 2021's summer friendly against the USA as a substitute - one of the decisions made by Eddie Jones which can certainly be given a lot of scrutiny given his fantastic performances for Sale in the years following his first call-up.
For the moment, Tom is out with a hamstring strain suffered last month and is likely to be in the stands to watch his brother earn a well deserved start for his country on Saturday evening in the Calcutta Cup. Tom could be back by the end of the Six Nations, but Sale director of rugby Sanderson may hope for Ben to take the spotlight for the next seven weeks to protect his injury, with a crucial run in and what could be a first Premiership title since 2006.
Until now, Sale have not been one of the main clubs which are called upon by England, with Leicester and Saracens dominating recent years. However, Borthwick has made a point of picking his teams based on form and the inclusion of Ben in his starting XV is a testament to his performances as well as the work of Alex Sanderson being done in the north west.
Sale are among the frontrunners in the Premiership at the moment, with both Curry twins at the forefront alongside another set of brothers, South Africa's Du Preez siblings. Sharks are currently set for a home semi final in the Premiership as they sit second in the table, 14 points ahead of Exeter.
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