Rugby World Cup 2019: How Tom Curry and Sam Underhill’s masterclass marked a generational shift

The England flankers dethroned the two Wallabies who inspired them most: David Pocock and Michael Hooper

A word that has been repeatedly used at this Rugby World Cup by numerous coaches is cyclical: World Cups are cyclical, the laws of the game are cyclical, coaches are cyclical.

So too are players, and on Saturday we were treated to the most perfect examples of that seen at the World Cup so far. On one side you had Michael Hooper and David Pocock, the originators of the double-openside back row and widely regarded as the finest in their trade for the last four years. On the other, Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, just 43 years between them, and trailing the Wallaby duo by a gargantuan 153 international caps.

For Curry and Underhill, it had been billed as the ultimate test against the players who helped inspire them to play the game, and to see how the English pair not only went blow for blow with the Australian greats but played them off the park just goes to show how special this current back-row unit actually is.

Playing between them was Billy Vunipola, who at only 26 years old will also be around for some years to come. The way those three are going, Curry-Underhill-Vunipola will become as recognisable as Hill-Back-Dallaglio. It is merely a case of how long it takes to cement that legacy.

In England’s last outing two weeks ago, it was Underhill who claimed the man of the match award just ahead of Curry, and this time around in England’s 40-16 defeat of Australia, it was Curry who took the honours. You sensed once again that Underhill was not far behind. But it could only go to Curry – it had to go to Curry. The young Sale Sharks flanker was phenomenal in defence, a particular highlight coming when he lined up Reece Hodge, smashed him halfway back to Sydney and set the platform for Underhill to swoop in and seal the turnover. It could easily have been mistaken for ‘Pooper’ at their very best, only this time they were wearing white instead of gold.

“I saw Hodge and it is what it is,” a modest Curry said afterwards. “One thing happened, then I was on my feet again.”

But that was not the most impressive part of Curry’s performance. With England under the cosh on their own line and Australia determined to take maximum points by turning down kicks at goal, they needed their defensive workhorses to come to the fore. First Isi Naisarani picked and went from the base, only to be scythed down short of the line by Curry. So Australia sent their powerhouse centre Samu Kerevi in to smash his way over the line, only to meet an immovable object: Curry again. His work-rate defied rugby logic.

Together, Curry and Underhill made a remarkable 38 tackles to completely nullify Australia’s talented attack, and boy didn’t they know the impact they were having. When Curry’s thumping tackle on Hodge was replayed inside the stadium, Underhill watched, smiled and butted heads with his partner-in-crime, the pair fuelling each other on to greater and greater things.

“I probably can’t speak on behalf of everyone else, but for the physicality and when you get moments like that, it is special,” added Curry. “Especially watching Sam off the kick-offs, those big tackles he was putting in. It is special to watch and encourages everyone. They are big statements

Tom Curry and Sam Underhill celebrate after the match (Getty) (Getty,)

“I would be a bit weird if I say making a tackle is more exciting than running with the ball. I don’t think you start rugby to make tackles but they are both pretty exciting.”

But as exciting as it was to watch, there was of course a sadness too. As the clock ticked down and the realism of England’s imminent victory became clearer, time was running out on Pocock’s career. The Wallaby great established himself as one of the leading sevens in the game when he burst onto the scene 11 years ago, redefined the art of back-row play when he moved to No 8 to join forces with Hooper in 2015, and wrapped it all up on the blindside opposite a man who may replace him in the worldwide ranks in the years to come.

David Pocock will retire from international rugby (PA)

The crafty 31-year-old did still teach Curry a lesson early on, beating the Englishman to the breakdown, going off his feet and coming in at the side to seal a turnover and manage to make it all look perfectly legal in doing so that you could only applaud him for it. Curry will learn all the dark arts of the game in the years to come – his mentor is Richard Hill after all – but that moment unquestionably belonged to Pocock.

There is a warm irony that Pocock was forced to move to six in order to allow Australia to get their two best forwards onto the pitch at the same time, given England might just be doing exactly the same, and if this is to be the changing of the guard, Curry has already shown he will have no problems living up to the high billing that Pocock has set before him.