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George Ford pinpoints glaring area of improvement for England after loss
By Josh Raisey
England head coach Steve Borthwick has said that the performance against France XV at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium on Saturday was “ultimately a positive for the development of this young group,” despite a 26-24 defeat.
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Both Borthwick and one of his co-captains, George Ford, have lamented their side’s first and final 10-minute spells, which allowed France to race to a 12-0 lead, and then close a 12-point deficit to snatch victory at the end.
With a team that had five uncapped players in the matchday squad, not to mention a host of British and Irish Lions players missing (France were bereft of their players still competing in the Top 14 too), Borthwick believes he has plenty of positives to take from the match ahead of a two-Test series with Argentina.
“I think the response after the first couple of scores against us,” he said when singling out the pros post-match. “The response then to get back control of the game, I think tactically then for about 55, 60 minutes the team were very good and we looked very dangerous.
“If you look at our 22 entries, the tries we came away with, the penalties the opposition conceded close to their own goal line told us there is a lot of good in our game. So that was a really pleasing aspect to it.”
Ford agreed that there were “quite a few positives” from the display, particularly “how we can learn the lessons of how small margins at the back end of a game can decide a Test match.”
With that said, he was quick to point out the “biggest work-on” for his side, which is their discipline.
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A slew of penalties in the opening quarter of the match gifted France field position, which allowed them to amass their points. England appeared to have ironed out that shortcoming during the match, save for a red card to Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, but ill discipline crept back into their performance as France chased the game late on.
Though France actually conceded one more penalty than England’s 10, double figures in the penalty count is seldom conducive to a victory in Test rugby, and Ford seems all too aware of that.
“I think one of our biggest improvements is our discipline,” he said. “I think our discipline in the middle of the field allowed France entries to our 22 and they brought a pretty formidable driving maul which was difficult for us to deal with. That’s probably our biggest work-on.”
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I did chuckle at his comments, suggesting others were at fault rather than putting his hand up about not kicking goals and not building sustained pressure.
Has there ever been a player who talks what to do but just doesnt step up himself when it matters. The saying goes, those who can do, those who cant talk about it !!
Is it the 3rd game England have been winning until Ford comes on ?. This time he was on all game and still made no telling difference.
Just how many lessons can England learn .
They are all prem players and should know what to damn well do.
Yes Ford can kick the ball well in the air and on occasion put a cracker into the 22. He is an exquisite passer of the ball on occasion. BUT he invariably tracks sideways on a loop , followed by the defence who just know he will not attrempt a break and hammer the next poor bloke Ford will quickly give it to if he sees a tackle coming his way
. And he just tracks back following an attacker without busting a gut to put a tackle in . Disgraceful !!! No wonder he is no Lion .
England desparately need a game changer in the back line , Did you see Beauden Barrett. Ford eat your heart out . 100 caps and still no idea how to break a line by himself. The others should also step up and ask how they lost that game . This is happening too often.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaathony
Yea his inability to get out of tight spaces and ineffective exploiting space from backfield and out the back by running the ball limits his options snd effectiveness what he does well he can def do well at times
Well one of the problems was George (kick the ball in the air,avoid tackling and running) Ford himself. Apart from all his other failings his place kicking cost England the game.
Idiot