Ford ‘will give us everything’
‘CHALLENGING TIME’ BUT COACH IS HOPING TIGERS FLY-HALF CAN SIGN OFF WITH SOME SILVERWARE
STEVE Borthwick can speak from experience when assessing the “challenging time” George Ford could face after deciding his future lies elsewhere.
The Leicester Tigers head coach was delivered the disappointing news by his star fly-half last month that his second spell at Mattioli Woods Welford Road is coming to an end next summer when he moves to Gallagher Premiership rivals Sale Sharks.
Borthwick faced a similar scenario in 2008 when he announced his decade-long stay at The Rec was coming to an end ahead of a switch to Saracens.
“It can be a challenging time for the player himself,” said Borthwick.
“I was captain of Bath and I made a decision to leave and join Saracens.
“And what did I do? I got sacked as captain. Three weeks later, I got reinstated as captain.
“Nothing changed from my perspective, I was playing hard and leading the team.
“Other people were making calls. From my point of view, it can be a challenging time. You support the player, he’s made a decision, I respect his decision.”
After being reinstated as captain, Borthwick guided Bath to European Challenge Cup glory, being named as man of the match in the victory over Worcester Warriors at Kingsholm.
The former England and Lions coach is hopeful Ford will also sign off with silverware before returning to his homeland in the north west.
“We’d have loved George Ford to have stayed,” Borthwick said.
“But this is professional sport and people make decisions. George has made that decision.
“He will give us everything he can this season, he will go on to pastures new, and we will get on with it.
“When he told me the news and what he decided to do, he was very upfront with me, this is my intention this season.
“He’s done exactly that. It’s a professional sport, the players accept that.”
In his first outing since the announcement was made, Ford was on top form as he tormented Harlequins with his kicking game in challenging conditions.
The 77-times capped England international also kicked 11 points and helped create Tigers’ only try in the 16-14 victory in front of a sell-out home crowd.
“The first 20 minutes we conceded a few turnovers,” said the Tigers boss.
“What George did was adapt to how we played after that first quarter.
“That wasn’t from me, that was from him on the field. I thought he managed that second quarter, I thought we were much better than we were in the first 20 minutes.
“That’s the sign of a quality player, on-field, able to recognise what needs to be done and being able to do it. That’s class.”
Meanwhile, Ford says he remains “100 per cent committed” to Tigers despite agreeing to join Sale Sharks next season.
The Tigers lead the Premiership with nine wins from nine and Ford has contributed an impressive 118 points to their cause.
“The club’s bigger than any one player - it’s bigger than me,” Ford told BBC Radio Leicester.
“The best way I can show my commitment to this club is playing as well as I can week in, week out.
“There’s an awful lot to play for in the rest of the season.”
Leicester have won 12 games in a row - stretching back to a 38-31 win at Wasps at the end of last season, which saw them finish sixth in the table.
And their brilliant start to the 2021-22 campaign has some fans contemplating the prospect of a first Premiership title since 2013 – and first silverware since winning the 2017 Anglo-Welsh Cup.
However, despite the upturn in the club’s fortunes, 28-year-old Ford said family reasons, and the chance to represent a team from the area in which he was born, proved too difficult to turn down.
“I love representing Leicester Tigers, it’s a really special club and a great place to play rugby,” said the England international.
“I enjoyed my time at Bath as well, but I’ve always had this niggling thing that I’d love to go and play where I’m from one day.
“Since leaving school at 16, I came to Leicester for four years, I went to Bath for four years and I’ve been back here ever since. I’ve never had the chance to go and do it.”
Ford added: “My grandparents struggle to travel and watch me playing.
“Maybe they can get a bit more of that next year, with my family there. And there’s other things off the field, businesses which are up north as well.
“First and foremost, I thought it was a good rugby decision. I’m glad it’s done so I can crack on here.”
Leicester launch their European Champions Cup campaign on Saturday with a trip to Bordeaux, who lead the Top 14 table.