THE father of Malpas rugby stars Tom and Ben Curry has shared his pride in seeing the latter receive his recent first England call up.

Tom and Ben, 23, both attended Bishop Heber High School and have both established themselves at club level, playing for Sale Sharks since 2016.

A call up to the England senior squad arrived for Tom in 2017, and he has since established himself as a mainstay in the side.

Ben was also called up to the squad in 2017, but didn't make an appearance and in 2020 was set back with injury, causing him the miss the Six Nations.

But earlier this month he finally broke his England duck, coming on as a substitute at Twickenham in their Summer Internationals match against the USA in which they won 43-29.

David Curry, headteacher at Bishop Heber High School and a former rugby player himself was brimming with prise at the recent successes of both his sons.

"As you can imagine, we're thrilled as a family for both Ben and Tom," said David.

"The fact that Ben was called up to the England summer series squad after such a lay-off following his dislocated shoulder in November 2020 is testimony to all the hard work he did in rehab getting himself fit for the final few games of the season in the run in to the premiership semi-final, which they both started together for Sale sharks.

"To then get is his first cap at Twickenham in the same week as Tom received his [for the British and Irish Lion] against the C-Cell Sharks the following Wednesday was utterly amazing.

"Fingers crossed he gets the opportunity this weekend to play for the Lions in their first test in Cape Town – we'll all be watching as a family and school cheering them on!"