George Ford

[DingDong]

If it had been Ben Youngs left out then I could have understood it as Ben hasn’t in the last few games for us show the form he is capable of.
With the new rules I expect George will be in the Autumn internationals: he and Smith should be in the match day squads with Marcus able to further develop with George as his mentor. Sarrie’s will be chuffed to bit if their 3 forwards are left out of the Autumn internationals.
I have every confidence George will become even better especially as he plays more with JVP.

Disagree about Ben completely! That intense pace and momentum in the Chiefs game was sustained due to Bens own speed and accuracy of his picking and passing. Got snagged once but so what. Clearance and chase kicks were awesome. That pass to Potter over the defenders just incredible. He still is a class starting 9, several others look great off the bench but Ben still has the edge over any other starting English international 9 - at the moment!

[Grimlish]

It’s a training squad. Eddie knows all about George and after his injury George probably doesn’t need to be over played or tested in a potentially highly spiced training environment. If we were the run up to a World Cup I’d think it could be significant but as it is…

[JP14]

It’s my belief that Eddie Jones wouldn’t drop Farrell even if his England career depended on it.

[LE18]

It’s a training squad. Eddie knows all about George and after his injury George probably doesn’t need to be over played or tested in a potentially highly spiced training environment. If we were the run up to a World Cup I’d think it could be significant but as it is…

That's exactly what they said when Tom Youngs was left out and so many others over the years, but they never reappeared.

[Old Hob]

Eddie Jones is quoted as saying (about George and the 2 Vunipolas)
"We are selecting now with the 2023 World Cup in mind," Jones told BBC Sport.

Jones says the door is far from closed on the players left out, but says they need to "work out if they want to give it all for the next World Cup".

He added: "It is not the end of the road. It is an opportunity for them to refresh, re-energise and re-focus. We will see how they go."

[TigerFeetSteve]

The thing is this is a 45 man training squad.

Normally a squad for a tournament is smaller, say around 34ish.

Most squads go for 2 or 3 Fly halves in a squad. So at a squad size in the mid 30's you're not looked on strangely if you have 3 there.

Certainly if you expand the squad to 45 you think most squads of that size would have 3 Fly Halves.

EJ didn't need to make the call on Ford just yet, he's had a long term injury, 3 Fly halves would have been perfect for him here not having to make a call, see how they get off and running when playing together.

All round a strange call

[Postiger2]

Drops the best FH he had rather than admit he was wrong about Farrell.

This will be his downfall I think, misguided faith on OF's talent and leadership. OF is a great kicker and a decent defender but he stinks it up at FH or OC because he's a solid player and that's it. As a captain, I think he's a liability to be honest.

Eddie made the same mistake when he appointed Dylan Hartley captain when he was the 3rd or 4th best in his position.

[ABClub]

It’s a training squad. Eddie knows all about George and after his injury George probably doesn’t need to be over played or tested in a potentially highly spiced training environment. If we were the run up to a World Cup I’d think it could be significant but as it is…

That's exactly what they said when Tom Youngs was left out and so many others over the years, but they never reappeared.

Sinckler was left out of the corresponding squad in September 2017 after being on the bench for all 3 Lions tests in Australia. Marcus Smith was in the same squad and didn't get capped until the 2021. Will Evans was in a similar training camp with only a handful of Tigers apps under his belt.

It's a training squad.

On Tom Youngs. I'm a big Tom fan but at that point his form had dipped whilst Hartley and George were playing very well in an England side that went on a record equaling run of wins.

[BigDan50]

I think George not being selected in the England squad could mark the end of his time with Tigers, I know he was bitterly disappointed when his dad was sacked and had to be talked into staying and to fulfill his contract.
With not being selected for the England squad he stands to lose tens of thousands per year and to make up for the shortfall I’m convinced he will look for a contract abroad either in France or Japan.

[Cagey Tiger]

I think George not being selected in the England squad could mark the end of his time with Tigers, I know he was bitterly disappointed when his dad was sacked and had to be talked into staying and to fulfill his contract.
With not being selected for the England squad he stands to lose tens of thousands per year and to make up for the shortfall I’m convinced he will look for a contract abroad either in France or Japan.

I think that a lot will depend on whether George gets back into the England squad. He's just come back from a long term injury which hampered his play last season. Eddie knows what he is capable of at his best. Leaving him with Tigers give George more game time to show where he is at and to show Eddie if he wants to fight for his place or not.

[Noggs]

Give it time. If George continues to play the way we saw at the weekend I also think he will feature again for England.

[JP14]

Give it time. If George continues to play the way we saw at the weekend I also think he will feature again for England.

Agreed.

[kk20gb30]

Owen Farrell has many (had many ?) attributes as a player and personally I have no real axe to grind with him - he has served Sarries, England and the Lions well.It is arguable however that his dominance as player and captain in conjunction with Eddie J's reliance,support (and some would say indulgence) of him has had a more stifling effect on any England Fly -Half than any opposition defensive line.England simply do not play an expansive game and with Farrell either at Centre or at Fly Half in his own right this is only exacerbated.Marcus Smith is highly talented but untested, but whether or not he transfers that talent to the international stage or not he will simply not (be permitted to) play in the same manner as he does for Harlequins.
In my opinion.

[BengalTiger]

Farrel has been a problem for England for years, he is a good player but gums up the midfield, though the determination to also shoehorn Slade and Elliot into the side regardless also causes a lack of cohesion.
Eddie suffers from trust issues, he does not trust any but a very small cabal of players and does not trust Ford, though the problem Ford has is that Farrel is always treading on his toes and taking his space.
Ford needs to bide his time and show what a special player he is, a clear run in an improved Tigers team is just the ticket for him to show his credentials in time for the next world cup, a run of bad results and Eddie will be on his bike well before then.

[bendy]

.... a run of bad results and Eddie will be on his bike well before then.

At which point let's hope the RFU doesn't come hunting for a new coach who's just transformed one of the domestic game's biggest teams....

(although this is a conversation for a separate thread!)