🔗 Share this article

In November 2024, national team playmaker George Ford looked disheartened on the Allianz Stadium turf.

The replacement was brought on from the bench to assist the hosts complete a famous win versus the All Blacks, but instead missed a crucial penalty plus a drop-goal attempt while his team fell short by a narrow margin.

After those expensive errors, Ford had to work hard to earn another opportunity at delivering glory to the English team.

His playing time was limited to 25 minutes during this year's Six Nations yet multiple excellent displays, especially during the warm-weather tour versus Argentine and American teams while Fin Smith and Marcus Smith were away on Lions tour commitments, returned him solidly in the starting mix.

The veteran player did more than justify the coach's trust in starting him against the All Blacks, but the Sale Sharks playmaker produced a man-of-the-match display to assist the home team to a first win against the All Blacks on home soil for the first time since 2012.

The crucial point came when Ford successfully executed back-to-back drop-goals just before the break.

This enabled the English recover from 12-0 down to reduce the margin to 12-11 by halftime, before Borthwick's star-studded bench once more performed in the second half to help his side to a comfortable 33-19 triumph.

"Credit must be given to the veteran members within our side, particularly Ford," the manager commented. "That period as he scored those drop-kicks, he controlled the match just incredibly.

"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, however his play was outstanding.

"He's an exceptional captain, a superb performer plus a better human being. We are privileged to feature him in our squad."

Drop-kicks 'consistently planned'

The Kiwis commenced strongly at Allianz Stadium, surging to a substantial early margin via touchdowns by Fainga'anuku and Taylor.

Following Ollie Lawrence's impressive score, the fly-half's successive drop-kicks resulted in the home side returned to the halftime break with the momentum.

"The challenging thing at those times occurs as the display indicates a twelve-point deficit, we can stick to our strategy and our convictions the optimal approach to perform is," Ford explained.

"We worked our way back into it and we knew were we to commence the final period strongly, with the bench coming on, we found ourselves in an advantageous spot.

"Even with a quarter-hour remaining, we ended up defending our goal line after a penalty, so we had challenges in that instance too.

"In my opinion that represents elite competition requires - who manages best with those moments most effectively."

Each effort occurred within a two-minute span while the number 10 who executed three crucial kicks in a successful match against Argentina during the 2023 World Cup, showed all his international experience.

Ford successfully executed two drop-kicks with Sale during a Premiership match occurring during difficult conditions against Bath - this represents an ability he has mastered thoroughly.

"The drop-kicks are consistently planned," Ford stated further.

"Steve is such a phenomenal leader since he continually advising me, and correctly so as three points are crucial throughout the match of play."

Ford guided his team superbly across the pitch the entire match, kicking smartly - both to compete and locating gaps behind the visitors' backfield.

His trademark high spiral kick further confused the opposing fullback, who failed to regather.

After beginning the national team's triumph against Australia in early November, Ford handed over the fly-half position to the younger Smith against Fiji a week later.

Yet the most significant examination theoretically this season came against the experienced New Zealand team, so Ford returned to his position.

The English team, now on a run of ten consecutive victories, face Argentina this month creating intrigue to learn whether the coach returns to Fin Smith or continues with Ford.

Whatever choice occurs, Ford established with two years remaining prior to global competition that there is plenty of rugby left in him.