'It's scary actually' - How one Sale Sharks teammate tells the Curry twins apart

Sale Sharks No.8 Josh Beaumont has explained how he can tell Tom and Ben Curry - the club's identical twins - apart.

Tom Curry has gone on to become a mainstay of England's forward pack since winning his first cap in 2017, while Ben has shone for Sale Sharks but is yet to win a cap for Eddie Jones' side. Beaumont, who was speaking to Jim Hamilton on RugbyPass All Access, said he has no doubt Ben could make the step up.

"There's little difference. They're both massively talented and quality players. I'm sure if Ben got the opportunity that he could definitely step up and do a job on the international stage.

"They are strong. It's scary actually the young boys who come through. They've probably toned it down a bit but when those two use to train with each other, it was competition all the time. It was like who could lift the heavier weight.

"I was down in the far end [of the gym] with Rob Webber and James Phillips in the old boys corner with the 2.5[kg dumbbells]," quipped Beaumont.

Beaumont explains that an injury inadvertently led to the twins becoming slightly easier to distinguish between, with Tom bulking up in recovery after hurting his hand.

"They've both unbelievable over the ball. That's probably their strength," said Beaumont. "I think Tom got an injury a couple of years ago around one of the Autumn games. He broke his hand or something and had three months out.

"He got absolutely huge in that three months."

While both stand six foot one inch tall, 110kg Tom is 4kg heavier than 105.91kg Ben, at least according to the stats on the club website.

"You could tell probably tell when Ben was playing that Tom had put a bit more size than Ben. That's the way you could tell them apart and his physicality increase because of that."

Ben Curry injured himself in December and will not be available for selection by Eddie Jones during this year's Guinness Six Nations, meaning any potential England call-up will have to wait.