England flanker Tom Curry says he “curled up into a ball” and “just cried” to his girlfriend Lilla before hip surgery last season because of a warning that his career could be over.

The 26-year-old underwent surgery in February after being diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome – a condition that means the ball in the hip joint is not entirely round.

Curry described the hip damage as like a “car crash” and later said he was unable to run.

“It was horrible,” he recalled, of the moment he was told his career may be in jeapordy. “I was lucky because I had Lilla there at the time but I literally just cried. I curled up into a ball. I just couldn’t really process it – it was a surreal moment.

“I think [not being able to run] was the toughest hurdle to get over because I just couldn’t do it and it felt the same.

“That was a really tough period but once I got to Loughborough, I worked with some really special guys, their eye for detail is amazing and it genuinely taught me to run again.”

Curry added that his “big relief” came when the surgeon said he could now look at making him “better as a rugby player” after admitting his biggest worry initially was getting the Sale Sharks back row playing.

Following his successful rehabilitation Curry returned ahead of schedule in June, playing in Sale Sharks’ Premiership semi-final defeat by Bath.

Having only made that one appearance off the bench since England’s World Cup third-place play-off win against Argentina in October, it came as a surprise that Steve Borthwick named Curry in his summer squad.

He went on to make three replacement appearances in all of England’s summer Tests, a victory over Japan and two narrow defeats by New Zealand.

“It meant everything,” the Sale flanker said. “In terms of being able to have that confidence from Steve and the coaches, it was massive.

“I missed a bit of the World Cup at the start, played a bit, missed the Six Nations. I just want to repay him by getting myself fit, staying fit, and playing as well as I can really.”

With 53 caps, Curry is one of the most experienced players in Borthwick’s squad and is set to enter his prime playing years.

He says that he will not change his all-action playing style, and that his successful rehab process has helped him mature him as a person.

“This hasn’t happened because of [on-pitch] contact. This has happened just because I have run a bit too much,” he added.

“I think for me it has been a big growth and step up in terms of maturing.

“You have to drop a lot of ego. You can’t just go ‘I am going to do this’. You have to realise what is going to make you better and it makes you a lot smarter. I think it has matured me a lot.”