Ford: Tiger cub Jack has a big future ahead
GEORGE Ford sees a bright future for half-back partner Jack van Poortvliet after the young Tigers ace was named in England’s latest training squad.
The 21-year-old was part of the 36-man group that met last month for a threeday training camp ahead of the match against the Barbarians on June 19 and the tour to Australia.
“I’m delighted for him, it is well deserved and I think he has a massive future ahead of him,” said Ford. “He’s very composed, he’s got a great skillset and a great running game and he’s really working hard on his leadership as well.
“He has all the ingredients to go on and have a great career at the highest level. If he keeps his attitude now of really wanting to improve and keep his head down then I don’t see why he can’t do that.”
The chances of Ford and Van Poortvliet playing together at Test level look slim, certainly while Eddie Jones remains in charge.
Ford, still only 29, was on the bench for all five of England’s Six Nations games and has been left out of the training group with Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell the preferred options at 10.
But with Leicester front and centre of the title race, Ford says it does not concern him.
“I’m not thinking about England right now, there’s too much going on here.
We’ll just have to see at the end of the year.” Ford, inset, has been in stellar form and played a pivotal role in helping Leicester get into the playoffs. Now a first Premiership title since 2013 is within touching distance but Ford, who leaves for Sale this summer, is focusing on the here and the now. “I feel like we are in a great place but it’s not one we can ever relax with. You can never assume it is going to stay like that because it constantly needs work. As soon as you take you eye off the basics whether it is on the field or off the field it can quickly go the other way as well. I haven’t thought one bit about what is beyond the next game.
“All we’ve done is put ourselves in a position, it is a whole different ball game going on to lift the trophy.”
While Leicester’s revival has been built on hard work, discipline, set-piece and kicking, Ford says they hope to land a few sucker punches too in attack in the business end of the season.
“We want to build our game on really strong foundations which are our kick-chase, kicking game, set-piece, defence and discipline, and we believe if you get those things right first, you get attacking opportunities.
“We’ve got some very dangerous players and it’s about how we can use their strengths as much as possible,” he said. “We work hard on coming alive in transition moments and getting in position to score as quickly as we can, where there is a turnover or we get the ball back from a kick or whatever it may be.
“We know the longer you hold onto the ball, defences – unless you’ve got unbelievable momentum – have got a better chance of getting on top.”