FORD FOCUS
Fit- again George is war y of wounded Irish
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GEORGE FORD has warned his England team- mates to be at their best against Ireland or face the consequences.
England’s fit- again fly- half learns today what role Eddie Jones has in mind for him in Saturday’s Nations Cup Pool A clash.
But Ford is sure he knows how Andy Farrell’s Ireland will respond to being well beaten by England in their last three meetings.
He said: “You’ve got to have a bit of fear in you that if you’re not quite there against a team like Ireland, you’re going to be in trouble. They will make you pay.
“What you know playing Ireland is that you’re going to be challenged. We need to be right on it.”
Ford’s warning came as Ireland named a team without either Johnny Sexton or Conor Murray. The last time that happened against England was 2011.
Ross Byrne gets his second start at No. 10, the first having come in a record 57- 15 hammering by England in August.
But Ford said: “Ireland are a team now where you could drop any 10 in and they will go really well.
“They are very well coached with lots of experienced players. In terms of our mindset, we just have to be better – better than we have been in the last few weeks – and understand that it will be a different challenge.”
England coped without Ford in crushing wins against Italy and Georgia but against a top- five nation his brains will be needed.
Round- the- clock treatment on an Achilles problem, including an hour a day in an oxygen chamber, has delivered him back to fitness.
England sent for reinforcements yesterday, welcoming five players from Harlequins into their camp for ‘ specific game training’.
The five were Covid- tested before arrival, used a separate changing area, a differen different car park and entrance and did not n enter the team bubble.
F Forwards coach Matt Pr Proudfoot ( inset) confirmed th the intensity of the session had “kicked k up a notch” and put it do down to their opponents.
“This is a step up to a team that is really performing well,” he said. “You sense the intensity in training. i Th The guys are well aware of how tough this encounter is going to be.”
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