George Ford has hand skills Floody can only dream of?

[Will S]

I would think Ford would be delighted to have Flood around for the moment. Sure he will want to push on and claim the shirt for himself but having an experienced 10 to work alongside will be very valuable to him initially. Whilst he no doubt wishes he could start every game I think Ford, especially guided by his Dad, realises this is not in his best interests. Ford is not a big guy and it will take him a while for his body to get use to the physical pressures of top class rugby week in week out. Add to this opposition teams will constantly be sending their big carriers down his channel until he has proven himself and he will take more of a beating than most (Sale were regularly sending their large centres and Powell straight down George's channel).

Whilst George wants to progress he will realise that overdoing it early on will just set him back in the long term. I think Cockers will handle this one well.

[Jose]

It is great to have the two best English fly-halves at Tigers and long may it continue. I'm happy to appreciate the (very considerable) merits of both rather than trying to pick fault.

Flood's passing is top draw and always has been and he threatens the gain line by playing flatter at 10 than anybody else in English rugby. It's no coincidence we scored a ton of tries with him at fly half last year, or that Ashton etc have a far better try scoring record with him in the team. His line kicking is also generally excellent in terms of distance, his defence is very solid and his game management normally good. He's clearly respected by his peers and well able to articulate what he is trying to do and wants others to do.

Ford has considerable composure for his age, a good passing range and an interesting line in cross field kicks. He plays deeper than Flood and doesn't threaten the gain line as much. A couple of moments at the weekend suggested real class, his dummy and kick in defence and a brilliant touch finder which rolled into touch.

Plenty of space in the squad for both and pray that we can keep them. Underplaying the skills and benefits of either must look ridiculous to supporters of other clubs browsing this forum, and that's because it is.

[bc]

I have to agree with many of the balanced comments in the latter part of this thread - I can't believe those at the start are really Tigers fans!

This whole hysteria around Flood vs Ford is great for the media - it gives them plenty to talk about. Remember, they did the same re Castro vs Cole and all the doom stories about Cole not being good enough or should leave and go elsewhere to guarantee 1st team starts. I reckon that Tigers have proven that nuturing a young talent is the best way forward and now Cole is spoken about as a world class prop an very close to being the best tighthead in the world.

In Ford's case the way Tigers are handling him allows him to work on his areas of weekaness away from the limelight and at 19 he has got plenty of time to develop properly to the world class player he will become.

Just consider the case of a huge talent who is now in our midst - Matt Tait. I do wonder where he would have been now if he had not been thrown in at the deep end at an early without the proper physical and mental nuturing? Hopefully we will start seeing that talent at Tigers soon.

[DickyP]

Excellent summary Jose except this bit:

... His line kicking is also generally excellent in terms of distance,

His line kicking is actually only very average and his distance is not good at all - this is one area where he really is weaker than Ford and his clearances from defence never go far enough.

This bit I really agree with:

his defence is very solid and his game management normally good.

[GT1]

Looks like Cockers has made his mind up!
http://gu.com/p/3b2bv/tw

[loretta]

"You have to go to Toulouse with some experienced players and manage the game. It's not a place to go and blood young blokes who have never done it," Cockerill said.

Quite right too. Toulouse in Toulouse will be a hell of a challenge, and we have to play our number 1 players wherever we can. Ford clearly has tremendous skills/potential and must be brought on and given game time wherever suitable but, whether some people like it or not, Flood is still our number 1 fly-half and must start.

[Blabyboy]

did any of you read the post title? is states 'hand skills' yet all would prefer to talk about kicking, stuart barnes was a good kicker,shall we swap?????
i fear you lot are missing the point. if you want a 100% tactical/place kicker then we should have signed hodgeson.
i dont want to watch that boring saffas rubbish, i want to watch beautiful hand skills and wonderful delay passes, ie, the original post, all others please reply in 'boring ten man rugby, his kicking was suspect, nonesense looser rubbish.com'
thanks

[Will S]

i fear you lot are missing the point. if you want a 100% tactical/place kicker then we should have signed hodgeson.
i dont want to watch that boring saffas rubbish, i want to watch beautiful hand skills and wonderful delay passes,
thanks

Strange comment considering many regard Hodgson as the best passer of the ball the English game has seen over the last decade

[fleabane]

Will S, you are absolutely right.

Hodgson's England career was blighted by his wayward kicking under pressure. He has never been as reliable a kicker under pressure as Flood, but was always a superb passer of the ball.

[vinniechan]

Flood's overall game is good and perhaps the most balanced among England's ten but his tactical kicking really is bad.