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Cipriani's advice on how to use Tuilagi could solve Ford/Farrell debate as well
By Josh Raisey
The debate around how to play George Ford and Owen Farrell is one that is only going to intensify after the weekend once the England captain has made his return from his four-game ban.
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Farrell is likely to come in to face Chile in Lille on Saturday, but what shirt number he wears will be intriguing. He may start ahead of George Ford, but the World Cup’s highest point scorer currently has deputised in the No10 shirt to such a level this past month that he may have made it his own.
Given that form, Borthwick might want to stick with the Sale Sharks man, opting to play Farrell from the bench or alternatively resurrecting the Ford/Farrell midfield axis. With the sterner challenge of Samoa after Chile and a potential quarter-final after that, the England coaching team will want to have their best combination by then. With Marcus Smith also part of the equation, the waters are muddied further.
There is quite a divide amongst fans and pundits alike as to how should England structure their midfield, and the Rugby World Cup 2023 Official Podcast provided a microcosm of that split recently.
Former Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris and former England fly-half Danny Cipriani both fell on either side of the Ford/Farrell debate, with the Irishman going for Farrell, the ex-No10 opting for Ford and former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick sitting somewhere in the middle.
“I think George is playing really well, he’s stepped up into that role,” Ford’s former teammate Cipriani said.
“They might play them together, they’ve always leant on that quite often. It will depend on how training goes.
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“With the World Cup going the way it’s going, you’d go with George Ford right now.
“If [Farrell] plays well against Chile and he’s energised, then that’s going to be a different conversation for them to have.”
Fitzpatrick added: “Ask me and I’d say pick your best players first, then pick your captain. They’re all talking about how he has to play because he’s the captain. You’ve got to pick your best players.”
But curiously the way in which England find how to get the best out of Ford and Farrell might well come in finding out how to get the best out of Manu Tuilagi.
The 110kg centre has started both games for England at the World Cup in the No12 jersey, to great effect against Argentina and with diminishing returns against Japan. However, Cipriani is adamant that Tuilagi should be played at outside centre, and he explained why on the podcast.
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“I feel like they’re playing him in the wrong position,” the 16-cap England international said.
“If you put Manu at No12, he’s going to be carrying into back-rowers, because they’re on the edge of the lineout, off six-mans, No7s helping out No10s. But if you put him one channel out, he’s in No12s’ and No13s’ channels and you don’t want Manu in your arm or eyesight. So if you’re at the line, everyone runs a play where No12 goes at the line, No13 short. If No12 goes at the line, say it is Faz or Ollie Lawrence, and he’s got Manu short, one, at least two defenders are biting on him, then you can create space out the back of him.
“So that’s how you use him in terms of his destructive carrying but also how you can use him to create space for others. I think at No12 he just ends up being the guy you just pop to to trudge it over, you don’t really get to see him impact the game the way he can.”
If Tuilagi were to shift outwards to outside centre, there would be a vacancy at inside centre, which would likely open the door for Farrell to start there alongside Ford.
There are plenty of possibilities as England look to find their feet in attack, but in solving how to best use Tuilagi they might find out how to deploy Ford and Farrell at the same time.
Listen to the full episode of The Rugby World Cup 2023 Podcast presented by Asahi Super Dry here.
I think in regard to Tuilagi, the simple fact is he's not the player he once was, wether that's due to injuries or just the passing of time.
I don't think he has the gas to play 13 now.
When you look at players like Aki, Danty, fickou, Allende, kriel et al Tuilagi is nowhere near that quality anymore.
I think fans and pundits need to be realistic in their expectations of what Englands current midfield can achieve.
If one Englishman knows how to attack and unlock defences it's D Cips. I hope he's not lost to English rugby and is put to use as a backs/skills/attack coach or whatever!