Next big thing.

England forwards coach Matt Proudfoot reckons 22-year-old flanker Tom Curry could be the next Richie McCaw if he keeps improving at his current rate.

The youngster is already a mainstay in the England set-up, starring at the 2019 Rugby World Cup alongside Sam Underhill, and Proudfoot reckons he’s a “special” player.

McCaw meanwhile is regarded as the greatest seven to have ever played the game, if not the greatest player period, having captained the All Blacks to two Rugby World Cup wins, winning 148 caps and three World Player of the Year awards during his career.

And Proudfoot reckons Curry, who already has 32 caps for his country, could reach those incredible heights.

“He’s a special, special player,” Proudfoot told BBC Sport.

“His mindset for growth and improvement, his determination, his relentless training regime…how he takes onboard information, asks questions and makes sure that he adds the right thing to his game.

“When you see that in a player you know he will go a long, long way.

“If you look at the way Tom has improved in the last three or four years, if he just continues that growth, I think, in three, four years’ time, he could be another McCaw.”

Proudfoot added that when he was coaching the Springboks, Curry was singled out as one of England’s biggest threats.

“In 2018 when England toured South Africa we highlighted him as one of the main threats in their team,” he recalled.

“We actually tried to get to him a little bit and tried to pressurise him.

“I think in the first or second Test he was man of the match. He was 19 or 20 at that stage. It just speaks volumes for his character.”