FORD DRAWS ON HIS EXPERIENCE
We’ve learnt from Scotland scare in 2019
GEORGE FORD says England’s never-say-die spirit was born out of dodging a bullet the last time Scotland came to Twickenham.
With the home side staring humiliation in the face, fly-half Ford came off the bench to score and force a draw with the final play of an astonishing game.
Two years on, Ford needs no reminding of England blowing a 31-0 lead that day, allowing the Scots to score six unanswered tries and lead by seven with time up on the clock.
But he is convinced the way they saved themselves at the death proved a major turning point for a side who have gone on to win two trophies and reach a World Cup final.
“Since then we’ve noticed we’re a lot calmer in those situations,” said Ford, pointing to way England held their nerve to beat France in sudden-death overtime to win the Nations Cup in the autumn.
“That day against Scotland it was the last play and we had to do a lot of things knowing that one mistake and the game would have been over. To have the ability to be accurate and execute under the most intense pressure was a real positive. We saw the benefits of that against France.”
It is no surprise England are favourites to make a winning start in the Six Nations on Saturday given none of their players were alive the last time Scotland won at Twickenham, in 1983.
But Ford added of that 2019 draw: “It showed how quickly and even aggressively momentum can shift in a Test match if you don’t look after your own game.
“If you give the other team so many things to go after and that many opportunities, it’s difficult to stop. But in terms of a challenge, it was great for us.”
Eddie Jones said afterwards that his team had a mental weakness which needed fixing, saying: “It’s like we have some hand grenades in the back of a jeep and sometimes they go off when there’s a lot of pressure.”
Ford added: “The crucial thing when you come to a situation like that is to not get desperate to win.
“We understand the process and that our best chance of scoring is to do the basics, build some pressure and stay calm.”