George Ford was selected at fly-half for the match against New Zealand, taking the starting position ahead of Fin Smith and Marcus Smith.
In November 2024, England fly-half George Ford displayed visible disappointment on the field at Allianz Stadium.
Ford was brought on as a substitute to help secure a significant victory against New Zealand. However, he missed a crucial late penalty and drop-goal, leading to a two-point defeat for his team.
Following these costly errors, Ford faced a challenging path to regain an opportunity to achieve success for England.
He played only 25 minutes during this year’s Six Nations. However, a series of impressive performances, particularly during the summer tour of Argentina and the United States while Fin Smith and Marcus Smith were on British and Irish Lions duty, re-established him as a strong contender for the starting position.
The 32-year-old not only justified Steve Borthwick’s decision to start him against the All Blacks, but the Sale Sharks playmaker also delivered a player-of-the-match performance. This contributed to the team’s first victory over New Zealand on home soil since 2012.
A defining moment in the game occurred when Ford successfully executed consecutive drop-goals just before half-time.
This helped England recover from a 12-0 deficit to trail 12-11 at the interval. Subsequently, Borthwick’s impactful substitutes delivered in the second half, leading to a comfortable 33-19 win for his side.
“Credit must be given to the senior players in our team, particularly George,” Borthwick told BBC Sport. “During that period when he executed those drop-goals, his game management was outstanding.”
“Twelve months ago, I felt George played exceptionally well when he came on [against New Zealand].”
“A kick struck the post, and he attempted a drop-goal under pressure, but his overall performance was excellent.”
“He is an exceptional leader, a brilliant player, and an even better person. We are privileged to have him in our squad.”
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In 2024, Ford’s missed kicks proved costly as England lost to New Zealand. However, Saturday’s game presented a different outcome.
The All Blacks began strongly at Allianz Stadium, quickly establishing a 12-point lead with tries from Leicester Fainga’anuku and Codie Taylor.
Following Ollie Lawrence’s powerful try, Ford’s consecutive drop-goals allowed the hosts to enter the changing rooms with momentum.
“The challenge in those moments, when the scoreboard reads 12-0, is to adhere to our game plan and maintain our belief in our style of play,” Ford said.
“We regained our composure, and we knew that if we started the second half strongly, with the substitutes coming on, we would be in a favorable position.”
“Even with 15 minutes remaining, we found ourselves on our own try line with a yellow card, presenting further challenges.”
“I believe that’s the essence of Test rugby – the ability to effectively manage those critical moments.”
Both kicks occurred within a two-minute span as the fly-half, who successfully executed three drop-goals in a victory against Argentina at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, showcased his extensive experience earned over 104 caps.
Ford had previously scored two drop-goals for Sale in a Premiership game played in difficult conditions at Bath, demonstrating his well-practiced skill.
“The drop-goals are always part of the plan,” Ford added.
“Steve is an exceptional coach who consistently reminds me of their importance, and rightly so, as three points are valuable at any stage of the game.”
Throughout the game, Ford skillfully directed his team around the field, executing smart kicks both to contest possession and to find space behind the opposition’s defense.
His signature ‘spiral bomb’ also caused problems for Beauden Barrett, who failed to secure the catch.
Having started England’s win over Australia on 1 November, Ford relinquished the number 10 jersey to Fin Smith for the Fiji victory a week later.
However, the most significant challenge on paper this autumn came against the three-time world champions, resulting in Ford reclaiming his starting position.
England, currently on a run of 10 consecutive wins, will face Argentina on 23 November. It remains to be seen whether Borthwick will revert to Fin Smith or continue with Ford.
Regardless of the decision, Ford has demonstrated, two years away from a World Cup, that he still has much to offer in the sport.
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