George Ford on the move?

Just read an article in a newspaper that suggests Ford might be on the move this summer as he isn't getting enough game time.

Could this happen?

Will Tigers let it happen?

Link or GTFO

It was the mail or the express, don't know which?

Could be a possibility - only signed a one year renewal didn't he?

Would love him at Irish but cannot see it happening with iHumph and Shane about. Bath? Saints?

He's played for Tigers so he qualifies for Bath, right?

So far this season there has been speculation that Cole, Croft, Youngs and now Ford are joining Bath.

He did sign just a one year extension, and if he chooses not to sign another contract then Saints would be the best move for him.

It is all moot however for the moment and Ford will get plenty of game time over the next few months.

I think Ford said he would love to play for Bath.
He might have even said he lusts to play for Bath.

When he is older...........

Bath could give him a starting No10 shirt.

LondonTiger wrote:...........He did sign just a one year extension, and if he chooses not to sign another contract then Saints would be the best move for him..............

Speaking for the Saints organisation, I/we would welcome Ford into the Saints family. And to show how big-hearted we are, we would be happy to send Ryan Lamb up the M1 as compensation...........

An attack-minded Bath RFC would be a good move for the hottest young talent to come out of England since wuss boy Cippers. Tigers have a weak backline, particulary without Manu starting, so will likely be going back to conservative play. A great strength of theres but it will not get them far in a heineken cup group containing 3 other conservative playing teams. I can not see it being so great for Ford despite his progress so far.

Oh please dont let any more youngsters with real potential go to Bath...look whats happend to Wilson, Fearns and Attwood...

GeordieFalcon wrote:Oh please dont let any more youngsters with real potential go to Bath...look whats happend to Wilson, Fearns and Attwood...

Wilson is in the EPS, Fearns toured SA and has been immense this year. Attwood is a WIP.

Bathite wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Oh please dont let any more youngsters with real potential go to Bath...look whats happend to Wilson, Fearns and Attwood...

Wilson is in the EPS, Fearns toured SA and has been immense this year. Attwood is a WIP.

In fairness, Wilson hasn't been at the top of his game for a while. He definitely has the potential, not to be better than Cole, but to at least other a viable alternative. Fearns took a while to settle at Bath, but I do feel you've got a gem on your hands there. Attwood has now had 2 pretty duff seasons. He was excellent in his first year at Glaws, but his form was very wayward in the 2nd year and left as firm 4th choice lock. I thought he was decidedly average last season too. It is very frustrating as the guy has the potential to be the enforcer England are crying out for, but he just seems so far away from that at the moment.

Baths BIG signing

He should man up and come to Quins

Yappysnap if Evans does leave next season there could well be an opening for Ford as Quins fly half.

If Evans left then I hope we'd go for someone with a bit more experience! Cruden would be perfect.

yappysnap wrote:If Evans left then I hope we'd go for someone with a bit more experience! Cruden would be perfect.

Hands off!

You can have Colin Slade. If you behave yourselves

Or try for Quade the (possible) Quitter

I'm sorry but it has to be Cruden, NZ can't be allowed to keep so many good flyhalves, that's just how it is.

Does Slade even play any more? I thought he was just constantly injured!

Ok we'll take that Barritt lad, or maybe the current U20 youngster who'se name i've forgotten...

yappysnap wrote:Ok we'll take that Barritt lad, or maybe the current U20 youngster who'se name i've forgotten...

Be careful of what you wish for, you may end up with an AB FH much closer to home!!

yappysnap wrote:

Sorry yappy, I wouldn't wish him on my worst enemy... well, maybe I already have!!

Cruden would be joining a tradition of genuinely talented Kiwi 10s joining Quins after Nev and Mehrtens! He'd love it

Exactly, it would be like a home from home, and the style of rugby would be pretty familiar too. It's settled then, next season we'll trade Nev for Cruden

HongKongCherry wrote:

yappysnap wrote:

Sorry yappy, I wouldn't wish him on my worst enemy... well, maybe I already have!!

Bless them, it's almost enough to make you feel sorry at times. Almost...

Unless Nev wants to stay in which case I wouldn't trade him for anyone.

Ford will be great where ever he goes. If he's got any sense that will be at Tigers. 19 year olds who burst on the scene at big clubs then never live up to early promise (particularly 10s) are not unusual. Tigers are playing the long game with him and that will benefit both parties. Incidentally he turned down both Sale and LI in the summer to sign the one year deal at Tigers.

Ha I bet he's really regretting turning down those offers!! In all honesty he should stay at Leicester for the moment, he won't get a starting place at any of the best clubs except Saints and they seem to have serious issues with 10's.

The season is young and Leicester still have plenty of time to play him.

Moving to somewhere like Sale, Irish, Bath would be a career death sentence.

It's important that he remains injury free so his development continues and at LI or Sale he'd have little protection and would be an easy target for the opposition backrow. Tigers should be giving him 10 starts this season plus bench appearances that's what he needs.

Bath dont need the wee man with mighty heathcote developing nicely, bath do need Ben youngs, anothy allen, manu tuilagi, dan cole and jordan crane though so come on down...oh and bring salvi back for good measure too !

For Ford i think leicester is the right place for him for this season, he is second choice and flood is always off galavanting for england and getting injured, after that if he wants an england jersey he needs to be starting so i guess Northampton are the obvious choice....Lamb cant kick, myler isn't the best attacking threat and Northamton is a good place to go for interantional recognition .

Saints are the obvious option. Flood has years left in him, so I'm not really sure how Tigers could keep them both happy.

DaveM wrote:Saints are the obvious option. Flood has years left in him, so I'm not really sure how Tigers could keep them both happy.

Beyond this season it could be tricky. Though it may well be flood moving on at the end of the season.

I wonder when we will see the Ford/Flood 10/12 combo. That and then rotation in the prop style will see both get a lot of games. Will be tough to keep both happy.

Ford looks unhappy, for the benefit of England he needs to move on.

I agree Saints would probably be a good choice.

Ford at Saints would certainly be good for them. Would need to be guaranteed as no 1 choice though.

There's always the option of Sale open. Can't see Cipriani lasting.

I don't think anyone would take Cips off their hands, or like to take his place....

beshocked wrote:
There's always the option of Sale open. Can't see Cipriani lasting.

In The Rugby Paper Austin Healey was discussing this and suggested that Sale were a team who desperately need a half decent 10. Now that is kicking Cips when he is down.

I can see him signibg 1 year contract while he feels that his development is continueing & getting a fair chance. If he wants the England shirt he needs to be better than Flood where ever he plays

broadlandboy wrote:I can see him signibg 1 year contract while he feels that his development is continueing & getting a fair chance. If he wants the England shirt he needs to be better than Flood where ever he plays

I have to say that if he signs another 1 year contract that can't be good for his long term development. He needs to be at a side that will be committed to his long term and likewise, he needs to share that commitment. I do feel that will be at Tigers and I'm sure he'll sign a longer term contract, as Tigers would be mad to let him leave. Should he go the best 2 options are Saints and Quins. Saints need a 10 now and Quins need someone better than Clegg to push Evans, or replace him should he leave at the end of the year.

I'd just like to point out I was mocked for this article, yet it is front page news in the Rugby Paper.

As it stands it makes sense that he is not starting. One way or another Flood is likely to be off for 5 weeks around November whether he is starting for England or on the bench. So not only is he going to get plenty of rugby soon, but we actually don't want to risk him getting injured in the meantime. We need him fit if/when Flood goes off, plus it gives him a bit more time to work on strength and conditioning before he does start.

In the time Flood is likely to be off there will be 3 premiership games, 2 LV and one against the Maori. We also have back to back games against Treviso in the Heineken Cup immediately after Flood is likely to come back. I wouldn't be surprised if Ford starts at least the first of those and possibly the second as well. Added to that as a minimum he is likely to get plenty of gametime during the 6 nations, plus any other games where Flood is out injured or rested. May not seem like much, but I think it's plenty for a developing player who may not be phsyically ready for week in week out rugby. And it's better than being somewhere like Quins where he would likely be behind Evans all season without even international windows to try and impress.

All that is (barring injury) a minimum for him. I wouldn't be surprised if he caught up with and perhaps even overtakes Flood in the pecking order. If so he will be getting a lot of rugby, and hopefully some big games.

So, in short, if he does leave I don't think it will be for lack of rugby. Realistically I would assume that the actual link between George Ford and Bath is Ford snr. I'm not yet convinced that there is any real substance to it though beyond speculation from fans and journalists. And, if he is determined to join his old man, then a) that's fair enough and b) there's only so much we can do about it.

Although... putting on my thinking cap I am of the view that we need a defence coach, so perhaps we can bring Mike Ford up here instead. Anyone fancy starting a Mike Ford to Tigers rumour??

Sure Ford will get game time when Flood is away, but why should he settle for that, if he wants England honours then he has to move on.

Saints will be interested as will Bath and Quins.

Evans might not stay at Quins though, Big.

I think Bath will be his best bet, plus daddys there.

Valid point Chequered Jersey - if Evans goes Quins would be a good option, as would Saints now.

In terms of why should he settle for being Floods deputy - in short he will get enough game time to develop his game, and he will get plenty of opportunity to displace Flood at Leicester - if he can't do it here there's no reason to assume he would elsewhere. I fail to see the benefit of going somewhere else, playing week in week out and potentially being run ragged. Look at the difference between say Cole who they were able to bring in slowly and interchange with Castro and Youngs who was arguably pushed into full time rugby before he was ready when Ellis retired. Cole has gone from strength to strength while Youngs seems to have taken a backward step as his focus has shifted to just keeping up with the demands of the game. Cockers is frequently criticised for bringing players through too slowly, but to his credit they generally do better when he is able to do it that way.

HERSH wrote:I think Bath will be his best bet, plus daddys there.

Bathtime is always a relaxing period for Tigers. Long, relaxing and a long way from their prey.

Can we have Vesty back please HERSH as he's been turned into something approaching a loofah since he joined you in your tepid waters of Bath for a soak?

A returned in unfit condition surcharge will be applicable.

Yontorp wrote:

Should the new ID not be Yontrop?

Thinking about it, why would Ford chance a move to Saints? His brother barely got a chance and developed in no way in his two years there. Geraghty and Lamb showed no improvement or benefited in any real way from the possession they received and add to that Mallinder's love affair with Mr average Myler I can't sew George doing it.

The move to Bath would be step down from guaranteed HEC to mid table rugby where the millionaire owner has already splashed cash on Donald who is played irrelevant of form over Heathcote another young talent.

Quins could be a possibility with Clegg suddenly looking more flaky than Lamb and Botica seen as only squad cover. Then again he could stay with the club that have carefully developed his game since 14, the club who have been drip feeding him experience in the first team since 16 and who always paved the way for him to excel thus far. At 19 he has captained the England under 20s, started two cup finals and been within touching distance of an England tour. Why move when everything is going perfectly?