🔗 Share this article

During November 2024, England fly-half George Ford looked disheartened during the match.

Ford had been summoned from the bench to help England secure a famous win versus the All Blacks, however failed to convert a crucial penalty plus a drop-goal attempt while his team were beaten by two points.

In the wake of those pivotal failures, Ford had to work hard to get another shot to achieve success for England.

His playing time was limited to 25 minutes in the recent Six Nations however a series of excellent displays, notably in the summer tour versus Argentine and American teams when the Smith players had departed for Lions team responsibilities, reestablished him strongly among starting candidates.

The veteran player not only repaid the manager's confidence in starting him facing the Kiwis, and the Sharks star delivered a player-of-the-match performance to help the hosts to a first win over New Zealand on home soil ending a drought dating to 2012.

The crucial point occurred as Ford nailed consecutive drop-kicks just before the break.

This assisted England recover from 12-0 down to reduce the margin to 12-11 at the break, before Borthwick's star-studded bench again delivered in the second half to support England to a convincing 33-19 win.

"You have to give credit to the experienced players on our squad, notably George," the coach stated. "That period where he hit those drop-goals, he controlled the match remarkably well.

"Last year I believed Ford came on and played very effectively [against New Zealand].

"A attempt hit the upright while he attempted a pressured drop-kick, but he played really well.

"He's a tremendous guide, an outstanding athlete and an even finer individual. We are honored to include him in our squad."

Drop-kicks 'consistently planned'

The Kiwis started quickly during the match, building a substantial early margin through scores from two key players.

After Lawrence's powerful finish, the fly-half's successive three-pointers meant the hosts bounced into the locker room with psychological advantage.

"The difficult aspect in those moments is, when the scoreboard says a twelve-point deficit, we can stick to our strategy and what we believe the superior method to compete is," Ford said.

"We worked our way back into it and we understood if we started the latter half effectively, as reserves joined, we would be in a good position.

"Although facing fifteen minutes to go, we were positioned near our try line following a card, thus we encountered obstacles in that instance too.

"I think that's what international rugby involves - who can deal in those circumstances superiorly."

Each effort occurred within close succession as the fly-half who executed three drop-kicks during a victory facing the Argentine team at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, displayed his complete 104-cap experience.

Ford successfully executed two drop-goals for Sale in a league contest conducted in challenging weather versus Bath - this demonstrates a talent he has mastered thoroughly.

"The drop-kicks is always in the plan," Ford added.

"Steve is such a phenomenal leader that he is always in my ear about it, and appropriately since three points are crucial during any phase of the game."

Ford marshalled his team superbly around the field the complete contest, executing intelligent kicks - both to compete and in finding space against the defensive line.

His characteristic 'spiral bomb' further confused Beauden Barrett, who mishandled the ball.

Following his start in the English victory versus the Wallabies during the autumn series, Ford handed over the number 10 jersey to the younger Smith for the Fiji victory seven days later.

Yet the most significant examination on paper this autumn came against the multiple World Cup winners, and Ford reclaimed his starting role.

The English team, presently maintaining 10 straight wins, play against Argentina on 23 November and it will be interesting to learn if the manager opts for the younger Smith or persists with Ford.

Regardless of the selection, Ford demonstrated with two years remaining from a World Cup that significant amounts of rugby left in him.