trendylfj wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:46 am
Aren't we all grateful to watch George in action and I hope to see him involved in the England set for a couple more years, but at some stage, England have to look for a successor? I suspect they have found him and Smith will become the 1st choice for England before too long. The hardest thing for any coach/manager is to move away from people who have served them well and replace them, just as coaches and managers have to be replaced. For what it is worth, I would give him and Farrell one more opportunity in the AI's to prove they is worth taking to the world cup. The same applies to the Vunipola bros and sad to say it Manu as well. With the exception of George, they are not the players they once were and perhaps never will be but they deserve the chance to prove that they are better than their competitors.
I really cannot see how Smith is yet at Ford's level, 10 in the UK is about game control not hitch kick running and place kicking. Why do we have to knock a world-class player down? Other countries seem to rate Ford, and at least he doesn't have to be shuffled away from the ruck defence like Quins often do with Smith, Ford's tackling is good, similar to Toby's in the day. It always seems to me that some fans adopt the London media choices. as for Umaga the human revolving door.....
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trendylfj wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:46 am
Aren't we all grateful to watch George in action and I hope to see him involved in the England set for a couple more years, but at some stage, England have to look for a successor? I suspect they have found him and Smith will become the 1st choice for England before too long. The hardest thing for any coach/manager is to move away from people who have served them well and replace them, just as coaches and managers have to be replaced. For what it is worth, I would give him and Farrell one more opportunity in the AI's to prove they is worth taking to the world cup. The same applies to the Vunipola bros and sad to say it Manu as well. With the exception of George, they are not the players they once were and perhaps never will be but they deserve the chance to prove that they are better than their competitors.
I really cannot see how Smith is yet at Ford's level, 10 in the UK is about game control not hitch kick running and place kicking. Why do we have to knock a world-class player down? Other countries seem to rate Ford, and at least he doesn't have to be shuffled away from the ruck defence like Quins often do with Smith, Ford's tackling is good, similar to Toby's in the day. It always seems to me that some fans adopt the London media choices. as for Umaga the human revolving door.....
Mmm? You seem to be knocking down a world class player with your comments on Smith.
Why shouldn’t the English game embrace 10s who can control a game and run freely. England bottled it with Cipriani and reined in Ford. Rugby evolves and what a positive evolution that would be.
It grinds my gears that we are talking about Ford possibly being the fall guy when shoulder boy Farrell gets a free pass! I know which one of the two would be in my XV!
"Rugby isn't a contact sport,ballroom dancing is a contact sport. Rugby is a collision sport" Heyneke Meyer
Scott1 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:20 am
It grinds my gears that we are talking about Ford possibly being the fall guy when shoulder boy Farrell gets a free pass! I know which one of the two would be in my XV!
Completely agree. For me Farrell is 50% skill, 50% arrogance. It is amazing how far that arrogance takes him.
In any case, I can see both Ford and M. Smith running the show in '23. I doubt whether either will be left out or dropped. Rugby being rugby, one of them will get injured at one stage and putting all the eggs in one basket would not be wise. I would imagine both will be played in a kind of rotation or to suit the game plan for the next couple of years.
trendylfj wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:46 am
Aren't we all grateful to watch George in action and I hope to see him involved in the England set for a couple more years, but at some stage, England have to look for a successor? I suspect they have found him and Smith will become the 1st choice for England before too long. The hardest thing for any coach/manager is to move away from people who have served them well and replace them, just as coaches and managers have to be replaced. For what it is worth, I would give him and Farrell one more opportunity in the AI's to prove they is worth taking to the world cup. The same applies to the Vunipola bros and sad to say it Manu as well. With the exception of George, they are not the players they once were and perhaps never will be but they deserve the chance to prove that they are better than their competitors.
I really cannot see how Smith is yet at Ford's level, 10 in the UK is about game control not hitch kick running and place kicking. Why do we have to knock a world-class player down? Other countries seem to rate Ford, and at least he doesn't have to be shuffled away from the ruck defence like Quins often do with Smith, Ford's tackling is good, similar to Toby's in the day. It always seems to me that some fans adopt the London media choices. as for Umaga the human revolving door.....
I don't think he is and didn't say that - I said that suspect that Smith will become 1st choice "before too long"
I know this forum is a bit 'fan boy' for George Ford but lets be honest and fair on Farrell, the guy is class and can turn a game. Marcus Smith likewise all be it a bit more flash.
Ford is very steady and can often choke his own backline and whether people want to hear it or not goes missing or doesn't take control in the big games. Sometimes the truth hurts but not being called into the Lions squad speaks volumes of his current form.
I enjoy him getting him hit by Lawes etc. I wasnt talking about his fauling. But his somehow getting away with so much is quite infuriating too. This adds to his arrogance.
He is probably the most overrated player I can think of.
