England flank Tom Curry has been ruled out for the start of the 2023 Six Nations competition due to a hamstring injury.

Curry, who skippered his country in the opening rounds of the 2022 Six Nations, limped off during an English Premiership win for the Sale Sharks against Harlequins on Sunday.

“I have just spoken to Tom and said get your head on for the Six Nations but don’t stop being a leader for us over the next two or three weeks. He will get a scan,” Sharks boss Alex Sanderson said post-match.

“He is walking around and it has stiffened up now. It’s not one of those where he limped off the field so fingers crossed he will be available against Scotland.”

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The initial medical review suggested that Curry would be ruled out until March but that potential return date has been brought forward and Sanderson has predicted the 27-year-old should be available for England’s clash against Wales on 25 February, if not before that.

“That’s positive from a rugby supporter’s point of view,” Sanderson told reporters on Wednesday in an update on the extent of the Curry injury. “Obviously, I’d rather him not be injured.

“We thought 3C hamstring tear, but it is a 2C hamstring tear so it wasn’t as bad as originally thought. We got him scanned, got his assessed, got him re-assessed.

“So a 3C would have been six to eight weeks [out] and he is looking to play at the back end of the Six Nations.

“With it being a 2C and with Tom being very diligent in his rehab, it means he could be back for Wales if not the second game [against Italy on 12 February]. But certainly Wales, so that is a real positive for England and for all of us because I want England to do well.”

England kick off their Six Nations campaign against Scotland at Twickenham on 4 February.

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