George Ford, Bath the perfect place

[fleabane]

http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Bath-Rug ... hchronicle

So, he is prepared to fight for the 10 shirt with Heathcote, Henson et al, and the move had nothing to do with Dad!

[TigerLad]

The perfect place if you want to scrape a place in the amlin and play against the likes of Bucharest. Oh wait...

[Gate]

The perfect place if you want to fight with Henson as well. Not sure George's left hook is quite as tasty as Fearns's, though.

[mol2]

Unless he benefits from nepotism he's probably going to get less game time at Bath than at Tigers.
At least at Tigers he would have got starts when Flood was on England duty or being rested because of that.

We can assume that Henson is more likely to get game time at centre than fly half but will he oust Heathcote and Donald (or has he actually left)?

Yes he's got talent but we're in an era of juggernaught players and I think he may well be too small. (Much as it irks to say so)

[TigerAlex]

Based on his previous comments before leaving Tigers, this interview basically translates to "I'm happy to fight for my place providing I'm first choice, even if it's just because daddy says so."

Good luck with that.

[Downbathway]

Good to read that you've all moved on, and forgotten about little George.

Absolutely no hint of bitterness too.

Well done!.

[TigerAlex]

Good to read that you've all moved on, and forgotten about little George.

Absolutely no hint of bitterness too.

Well done!.

You're welcome to him

I just find his comments inconsistent.

[fleabane]

Hello Downbathway, you haven't read GFs interviews with the Leicester press.

[BJ.]

Good to read that you've all moved on, and forgotten about little George.

Absolutely no hint of bitterness too.

Well done!.

George who?

Best of luck this season, me owd.

[4071]

Based on his previous comments before leaving Tigers, this interview basically translates to "I'm happy to fight for my place providing I'm first choice, even if it's just because daddy says so."

Good luck with that.

It may be that he enjoys competition for places, but that he was not going to stand a chance of winning that competition against Flood. He's happier to compete against the likes of Heathcote (who has already beaten at U20 level) and Henson (who isn;t a FH).

If Bath had retained Donald then he might have hesitated a bit longer (even though Donald has been a colossal waste of money), but I would think that when Bath were illegally tapping him up as a teenager they would have mentioned Donald's imminent departure.

[Downbathway]

Based on his previous comments before leaving Tigers, this interview basically translates to "I'm happy to fight for my place providing I'm first choice, even if it's just because daddy says so."

Good luck with that.

It may be that he enjoys competition for places, but that he was not going to stand a chance of winning that competition against Flood. He's happier to compete against the likes of Heathcote (who has already beaten at U20 level) and Henson (who isn;t a FH).

If Bath had retained Donald then he might have hesitated a bit longer (even though Donald has been a colossal waste of money), but I would think that when Bath were illegally tapping him up as a teenager they would have mentioned Donald's imminent departure.

This person has clearly stated that Bath illegally "Tapped Up" George Ford!.

I assume you have the relevant proof?.

Sometimes, what you actually know, and what you think you know, are two very different things my friend.

[WhitecapTiger]

I assume you have the relevant proof?.

Sometimes, what you actually know, and what you think you know, are two very different things my friend.

Actually the difference is more between what you know and what you can prove.

Squealing the old "prove it, prove it" argument fools no-one and,imo, merely shows there's something to be proven......

[Downbathway]

He or She presented you all with the "fact" that Bath had illegally approached a Leicester player.

Completely pointless. Unless you can shed light on what did, or did not take place.

Maybe a, IMHO, or something along those lines should have preceded the alleged "Fact".

[Will S]

I still remember the interview where Gold was saying that they categorically hadn't approached George as they were not permitted to at that stage. This was about the same time that all the press reports came out saying that George had agreed to join Bath and George himself had told RC that he was leaving for Bath. I believe it was a similar story with Joseph and Watson.

[4071]

He or She presented you all with the "fact" that Bath had illegally approached a Leicester player.

Completely pointless. Unless you can shed light on what did, or did not take place.

Maybe a, IMHO, or something along those lines should have preceded the alleged "Fact".

I think we all know that Ford was approached by Bath (or at least by his Dad) when he was still an U20 player, which is not allowed. You'd have to be staggeringly naive to believe otherwise.

It's not really a big issue - I'd be amazed if every club followed every regulation to the letter - but it was certainly an illegal approach.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21171006

Cockerill told BBC Radio Leicester: "I have been told by him and his advisers he is going to sign for Bath. Bath will deny it because they have to because [if they have done a deal already] it's an illegal approach.

Sure enough, Bath deny it...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21150789

"Of course we know who he is and I do rate him. But unfortunately he falls under the England Under-20 remit and nobody is allowed to speak to him - not us, not anybody - and it's irrelevant that his father is here."

And sure enough, as soon as other clubs are allowed to approach Ford for the first time...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22136341

Bath have signed Leicester and England Saxons fly-half George Ford.

Head coach Gary Gold had initially played down his interest in the 20-year-old, whose father Mike is assistant coach at the Rec, but Tigers boss Richard Cockerill revealed in January that he was expecting Ford to join their Premiership rivals.