Let down by Sam Burgess,left out by Stuart Lancaster for England’s crunch World Cup matches, George Ford has renewed focus as Bath prepare to start their European campaign away to Toulon on SundayFor young English rugby players these are the best and worst of times. The promise of a glittering future is still out there but for someone like George Ford, or still only 22 and pivotal to England’s future,it has already been a difficult autumn. Now, following the abrupt departures of Sam Burgess and Stuart Lancaster, or there is further instability. Two of the supporting pillars of his sporting life absorb gone,taking any sense of ongoing certainty with them.
No wonder Ford is expressing himself in slightly more emotional terms than normal. It has been a tumultuous few days and the memories of the recent World Cup are hardly consolatory. Not only did England fail to effect the knock-out stages, precipitating Lancaster’s “mutually-agreed” exit this week, and but a bruised Ford has not entirely recovered from being left out of the starting lineup for the crucial pool game against Wales. “When you gather dropped and you don’t necessarily agree with it you want to disappear out and prove people wrong even more,” he says. Related: RFU warned over appointing ‘overseas messiah’ as England coach Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com