George Ford

[sam16111986]

I think it's a little insulting to George, a 28 year old 80 odd cap international, to suggest that the current flavour of the month who's played against three sides well below tier 1 level with England and the Lions has done enough to end Ford's international career. Young Smith is a very talented player but George is not yesterday's man. When George is actually fit I can see it being quite the battle for the starting England shirt.

Let's look back to Quins visit to Welford Road shall we? The papers calling for Care and Smith to tour with the Lions and then Youngs and Ford gave them a lesson in how to control a game.

[Scott1]

I think it's a little insulting to George, a 28 year old 80 odd cap international, to suggest that the current flavour of the month who's played against three sides well below tier 1 level with England and the Lions has done enough to end Ford's international career. Young Smith is a very talented player but George is not yesterday's man. When George is actually fit I can see it being quite the battle for the starting England shirt.

Let's look back to Quins visit to Welford Road shall we? The papers calling for Care and Smith to tour with the Lions and then Youngs and Ford gave them a lesson in how to control a game.

Yes they did,Ford old manned Smith and gave him a lesson in game management.

[SthrnTiger]

Could be right but that's overkill for me and doesn't fit in with Eddie's methods. He likes the 6/2 split and iirc even if uses a 5/3 split I don't recall him ever having an out and out 10 on the bench. Especially if he continues to use Slade in his 23s.

True it could be overkill, but he's shown he likes to have the players he wants in the team, sometimes shoehorned into position a bit (eg when he put Curry at 8). So I strongly suspect all 3 will be in the next squad and Eddie will decide who and what he wants.

That has actually proved to be a masterstroke with Curry,it improved his carrying and attacking threat no end. Do you think there's a chance Farrell is rested for the AI and he just goes Smith and Ford?

He said after the last Lions tour he regretted not resting the English Lions in the autumn so it’s not impossible.

[Scott1]

Another point,and I don't want to take anything away from Smith because he's a special talent,but he hasn't exactly reinvented the wheel at Quins they've been playing like this for a long time. Let's see what he's like when he has to play a different kind of game. Just because he said Eddie gave him the licence to be himself against USA and Canada that doesn't mean he gets to play like that against Ireland or Wales or France away etc

[SthrnTiger]

Whilst on George Ford his absence is quite conspicuous from all the pre-season media. Hopefully just being given a longer break and will be back well before the season starts.

[Scott1]

Whilst on George Ford his absence is quite conspicuous from all the pre-season media. Hopefully just being given a longer break and will be back well before the season starts.

Wasn't there a picture of him holding a tacklebag?

[RagingBull]

Whilst on George Ford his absence is quite conspicuous from all the pre-season media. Hopefully just being given a longer break and will be back well before the season starts.

Wasn't there a picture of him holding a tacklebag?

Yep

[Hot_Charlie]

Farrell’s not exactly answering his critics on the Lions tour either by all accounts,

Smith had a very good game today, Jones likes Farrell so Ford could be on the decline and with his father gone, not too sure what future holds for him, he no longer seems to attack the line and his first instinct seems to be kick it.

Hard to gauge against The Stormers,Ford is proven against the world's best. Let's see how Smith performs in a test, if he's picked

The Stormers who had a former reserve Harlequins fly half at 10.

Class is permanent. Form of a team goes up and down. England’s recent results will be irrelevant in 2023.

So no, Ford is unlikely to be done yet.

[Hot_Charlie]

Whilst on George Ford his absence is quite conspicuous from all the pre-season media. Hopefully just being given a longer break and will be back well before the season starts.

Wasn't there a picture of him holding a tacklebag?

Yep

Possibly makes sense if rehabbing a calf injury.

[SthrnTiger]

Whilst on George Ford his absence is quite conspicuous from all the pre-season media. Hopefully just being given a longer break and will be back well before the season starts.

Wasn't there a picture of him holding a tacklebag?

Yep

Phew, thanks!

[Scott1]

Wasn't there a picture of him holding a tacklebag?

Yep

Phew, thanks!

I do think he will leave at some point though,not to another club but to league. Perhaps after the 2023 RWC maybe.

[sam16111986]

Yep

Phew, thanks!

I do think he will leave at some point though,not to another club but to league. Perhaps after the 2023 RWC maybe.

After the next world cup aged 30 makes sense. Be the last realistic chance for him to have a crack at league with their world cup in 2025 he could try to force himself into the reckoning for that.

He could decide to go on a bit of a tour around the world as well, spell in Japan with a sabbatical in Australia or NZ. Then back for a couple of seasons in the South of France.

He'd have options. He may well just decide to stay here particularly if the teams in a good place and everything has settled down.

[Scott1]

Phew, thanks!

I do think he will leave at some point though,not to another club but to league. Perhaps after the 2023 RWC maybe.

After the next world cup aged 30 makes sense. Be the last realistic chance for him to have a crack at league with their world cup in 2025 he could try to force himself into the reckoning for that.

He could decide to go on a bit of a tour around the world as well, spell in Japan with a sabbatical in Australia or NZ. Then back for a couple of seasons in the South of France.

He'd have options. He may well just decide to stay here particularly if the teams in a good place and everything has settled down.

Agree all round!

[Faulks04]

George is a top level international in his prime years. Personally don’t care if he’s in the England team or not would like him to be at tigers for a few more years yet . Marcus smith is a very special young man who has the world at his feet but still has it all to prove at the top level . Hard to argue against giving him his chance for England over the next few years . It will only lift the likes of George and Owen Farrell . Good situation for English rugby. Let’s just not write George off yet

[Scott1]

George is a top level international in his prime years. Personally don’t care if he’s in the England team or not would like him to be at tigers for a few more years yet . Marcus smith is a very special young man who has the world at his feet but still has it all to prove at the top level . Hard to argue against giving him his chance for England over the next few years . It will only lift the likes of George and Owen Farrell . Good situation for English rugby. Let’s just not write George off yet

Can’t rule out Simmonds either,he’s starting to grow on me!