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The George Ford reaction at Sale after his 'fringe' England part
By Liam Heagney
George Ford is back in the selection mix at Sale and looking to put one over his old England boss Stuart Lancaster on Friday. It was 2014 when Lancaster awarded Ford his Test debut, but the out-half will be plotting against his former head coach this weekend when the Sharks seek to get a win over Racing 92 and belatedly kick start their European campaign.
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Ford was rested for last Saturday’s 19-38 round one thumping at Glasgow but has since returned to training with the hope of firing up Sale’s Investec Champions Cup campaign, which also features January matches away to the Stormers and at home to Toulon following holiday-time Gallagher Premiership outings versus Exeter, Bristol and Gloucester.
The 31-year-old had a miserable November with England, enduring difficult moments off the bench in the losses to New Zealand and Australia and then being left an unused sub in the follow-up defeat to South Africa.
He played the full 80 minutes for Sale in their December 1 league win over Handre Pollard’s Leicester but a mandatory RFU rest followed the week of the Warriors match before getting stuck into preparations for Racing.
“That’s his exact frame of mind,” said Sanderson on Tuesday evening before exiting Carrington for his son’s nativity play. “George is driving it, taking hold of it which is where he is best.
“Not on the fringes of a squad but driving the intent and the language and the standards, so he has come back in today and was very much part of it again – and that’s what we spoke about.
“He just felt like he was in and out and not really a consistent member of that England squad over the autumn internationals, certainly not on the pitch, and he wants to get some games, get some form and really grab hold of something, so we will facilitate that for him coming back in.”
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The script when the Champions Cup draw was made over the summer was for a Ford versus Owen Farrell head-to-head in Manchester but that match-up was dashed with Farrell’s recent groin operation. “Pity, that’s a shame,” agreed Sanderson.
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TBH
Mr Sanderson has to talk ford up as he is the one who signed him for mega,mega money .
In years to come people will ask , has anyone seen a george ford highlights reel .
I watch Pollard, Mcginty , Russell , both Smiths, the new guy at Saracens and just wonder what am I missing with ford .
He is hardly on the screen apart from flapping his arms at everyone else , just as he departs to a safe distance . And forget line breaks .
Let's see if he can actually do anything this weekend that you can say to me .
Oh well. You are wrong .
George Ford has 98 caps, 3 six nations medals, played in a world cup final and two domestic league titles. Apart from Pollard, I wouldn't swap his career for any of the others on your list. Just because a player has a you tube highlights reel doesnt make them better.
Watch the Ireland and France games in this six nations to see Ford at his best - controlled and creative.
you're bad at watching rugby.