Ford’s Bath bombs get Tigers fizzing
No10 MAKES A SPLASH IN FIGHTBACK
GEORGE FORD was Leicester’s remote- controlled destroyer as the England fly- half kicked 21 points to end the worst losing sequence in the club’s history against Bath.
Ford carried out isolating coach Steve Borthwick’s masterplan to the letter as the Tigers delivered a gutsy comeback win against their old rivals to climb to seventh in the Premiership.
That is no great shakes for the biggest club in England but it is a case of small steps back from the abyss for the fallen giants.
Not since 1992 had the Tigers lost four in a row against Bath but that was where Leicester found themselves before yesterday’s game and when they trailed 14- 0 after 14 minutes it looked as if there was more trouble ahead.
But Ford masterminded a warming riposte on a bitter afternoon, landing eight kicks out of nine, to delight his absentee boss who was at home because of Covid- 19.
“Steve has been with us remotely through Zoom and we got a text to the group saying, ‘ Well done, great game, great performance’,” said assistant coach Brett Deacon.
“There were some courageous performances from our young guys but our leadership group really led from the front and we found solutions to come back into the game and win it. George putting up the spiral bombs in the second half was really the turning point.”
Ford gave Anthony Watson a torrid time under his high kicks. The territory gains from them – and Bath’s indiscipline – gave Leicester a way back into the contest after a disastrous start in which saw Beno Obano and Ben Spencer cross early for the visitors. Obano powered his way over after Josh McNally had stripped possession from a Leicester driving maul. And then, with Tigers No8 Jasper Wiese in the sin- bin for a high tackle on Watson, Spencer scored a spectacular individual try as he dummied his way through a gap on halfway and chipped over Leicester full- back Freddie Steward before hacking on twice and regathering to touch down.
But when Wiese returned he led by example as a ball carrier and Steward strode over in the 34th minute from Ford’s pass.
With Leicester edging the scrum battle at that stage, the England star was able to kick the home side to within a point at the break.
Two minutes into the second half Leicester went ahead with Harry Wells finishing off from a lovely back- door pass from Nemani Nadolo.
Rhys Priestland – who is heading back to Wales to join Cardiff Blues at the end of the season – kicked Bath level. But Tigers’ second- row replacement Cameron Henderson rumbled over for Leicester’s third try with 15 minutes left to regain the lead.
Ford converted expertly and then drilled home a fifth penalty to put Leicester out of range even though Cameron Redpath went over for Bath’s third try late on.