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Bristol's MacGinty signing opens door for Ford to Sale - report

(Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Out-of-favour England out-half George Ford has been linked to a move from league leaders Leicester to Sale for next season after it was confirmed this week that AJ MacGinty, the Sharks’ USA skipper, has signed for Bristol Bears. MacGinty had long been coveted by Pat Lam as they previously worked together in Ireland when Connacht won the 2015/16 PRO12 title.

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With the 31-year-old MacGinty agreeing to a deal that will take him from Manchester, where he has been since 2016, it has opened the door for a high profile out-half to be recruited and The Telegraph have reported that Ford, the 2019 World Cup final No10 for England, is now tipped to make the switch to the AJ Bell from Leicester. 

The 28-year-old has been in immense form this season at Tigers, responding magnificently to his painful England omission. For instance, while Eddie Jones was in emergency mode last week getting George Furbank ready to start against Tonga as the rookie England No10 following Owen Farrell’s isolation, Ford was putting Bath to the sword as Leicester completed their eight-match winning run to the start of the Premiership season.  

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Finn Russell on fighting water boys, facing the Springboks and expensive watches

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Finn Russell on fighting water boys, facing the Springboks and expensive watches

Ford reportedly is a frequent visitor to his home town of Saddleworth where he part-owns a coffee shop with his brother Joe. There is also the precedent that the out-half doesn’t sign an extension at a club that has released his father. Mike Ford led Bath to the 2015 Premiership final but he soon lost his head coach job there and it was followed by George signing for Tigers in 2017. 

Mike has since left his defence coach position at Leicester after his contract wasn’t renewed there last summer under Steve Borthwick and months later there is now speculation that George will also likely leave at the end of this season when his own contract is up.  

Currently in their first full season under Alex Sanderson, Sale are placed eighth after three wins in eight matches so far. They have had their injury issues at out-half and have left points behind with missed late kicks from rookies 10s in some of their games. Ford last played for England in their March 2021 Six Nations loss to Ireland and he has since been eclipsed in the Test squad pecking order by the emergence of Harlequins’ Marcus Smith and the renewed belief that Jones can make a viable Test out-half out of Northampton full-back Furbank.  

The Telegraph have also reported that Sale will have further wriggle room to manoeuvre under the reduced salary cap with the likely departure of Springboks lock Lood de Jager back to South Africa when his contract runs out at the end of this season. 

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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