LONG READ Ben Curry is mounting a case to be the Lions Test super-sub

Ben Curry is building a unique case to tour Australia with the Lions this summer – as a specialist Test super-sub.

England may not have a bench bomb squad to rival that of South Africa or France but in the elder Curry (by 90 minutes) they have discovered an explosive hand grenade.

The Sale captain, recalled to start in Wales this weekend, has some ferocious competition on the flank to make the squad – not least his sibling Tom who, along with Jac Morgan, are surely already inked in. But if Andy Farrell is prepared to indulge in some lateral thinking he could yet be part of the shake-up.

Lions players, by the very nature of the composite being the best of the best from four nations, tend to be first choices for their country. So why would he pick a player who hasn’t made the England starting line-up in the majority of the games in this championship? But in a period where benches appear to be growing ever more important in international rugby – and ever more controversial with the great 7-1 debate – few replacements have made such a dent in this Six Nations.

“There are some good sevens around and it depends how they want to play the game but he has to be in contention for that squad,” said Sale forwards coach Dorian West, who toured Australia with the Lions in 2001.

“You’d say Tom is more or less nailed on and there’s not much to choose between Tom and Ben at the minute. You wouldn’t say there was much of a gap between them now at all.

“If he’s that close to one of the best in the world he can’t be far off.”

I honestly don’t think anybody could have come off the bench and done better than he did at the weekend.

When opponents have been tiring as the clock ticks down in this championship, he has proved himself an all-action menace. Despite only starting one of four games, Curry has made more tackles than any other England back-row. His 37 in his 165 minutes on the field places him alongside the tournament’s stats leader Morgan in hits per minute and well clear of any other loose forward.

His breakdown work has been invaluable. The turnover he came up with during the last play of Sunday’s game against Italy delivered England’s final try on a plate for Ben Earl. He also won an important defensive breakdown penalty after snuffing out a counterattack from the dangerous Ange Capuozzo.

If he was simply a defensive nuisance then Farrell might not be interested – he has plenty of those he can choose from – but there is a creative side to Curry too.

He had a hand in the build-up to Ollie Sleightholme’s slick score in the left-hand corner on Sunday, delivering a one-handed pass to Alex Mitchell – having done some great breakdown work earlier in the attack to rescue an isolated Jamie George.

There was also a lovely inside offload to his clubmate Luke Cowan-Dickie from another carry and even a little chip when he found himself on the right wing.

“I honestly don’t think anybody could have come off the bench and done better than he did at the weekend,” said West.

“His energy was incredible. He was in every ruck that he needed to be in contesting, he was carrying, running hard, offloading. I think we saw everything you’d want from a player in those 35 minutes.

“We’ve been a bit frustrated for him because has been there or thereabouts in international terms and not really had the reward for the hard work he has put in.

“We’re still a little bit frustrated he’s not starting but we’re really pleased with how he performed off the bench.”

He’s bigger, stronger and faster now and he’s making some really good decisions at the breakdown.

If the Lions starting back row for the first Test is going to be Caelan Doris, Jac Morgan and Tom Curry then Farrell needs to be thinking who he can add into that mix late on in a game.

It is true Ben does not bang with the sustained ferocity of his twin but then few players do. It has been his misfortune there has been such an obvious comparison to make. But the fact is he hits hard enough – and often enough – to be almost two players in one.

“They have their own strengths but Ben, for us over the past couple of years, has been outstanding,” said West.

“He’s bigger, stronger and faster now and he’s making some really good decisions at the breakdown.”

In the end there will only be room for eight back-rows and maybe the fact Curry has only just broken into double figures of caps as a Test player will count against him with more experienced alternatives available.

Josh van der Flier had a tough afternoon against France along with the rest of the Ireland side but he will have a lot of credit in the bank with Farrell. Earl too has done more for longer on the international stage – he was in last season’s Six Nations team of the tournament.

There is Jack Conan, Peter O’Mahony and Jamie Ritchie, who has enjoyed a strong tournament, plus Taulupe Faletau, Jack Dempsey and Ryan Baird. As out and out open-sides, there is Tommy Reffell and Rory Darge to consider too. You can maybe even include Jack Willis and Courtney Lawes from French domestic rugby. It is an overcrowded field. But potential influence off the bench helps to sift through it.

Curry played well enough as a starter in his hour on the field against Ireland first up as part of the England smothering operation. The Irish only led 13-10 when he was replaced. But it is as a late-game accelerant he has come into his own since.

The Lions will need players who can up the ante in a decisive cameo if the Wallabies have managed to hold them for the first hour. At the very least, Curry should have played his way into the conversation through his efforts in this championship.

He has one last opportunity, in Cardiff on Saturday, to command Farrell’s attention. More of the same is his only requirement.

A double helping of Curry on the flight Down Under? In the bolter stakes, Ben is coming up fast on the rails.