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Bristol's MacGinty signing opens door for Ford to Sale - report
Out-of-favour England out-half George Ford has been linked to a move from league leaders Leicester to Sale for next season after it was confirmed this week that AJ MacGinty, the Sharks’ USA skipper, has signed for Bristol Bears. MacGinty had long been coveted by Pat Lam as they previously worked together in Ireland when Connacht won the 2015/16 PRO12 title.
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With the 31-year-old MacGinty agreeing to a deal that will take him from Manchester, where he has been since 2016, it has opened the door for a high profile out-half to be recruited and The Telegraph have reported that Ford, the 2019 World Cup final No10 for England, is now tipped to make the switch to the AJ Bell from Leicester.
The 28-year-old has been in immense form this season at Tigers, responding magnificently to his painful England omission. For instance, while Eddie Jones was in emergency mode last week getting George Furbank ready to start against Tonga as the rookie England No10 following Owen Farrell’s isolation, Ford was putting Bath to the sword as Leicester completed their eight-match winning run to the start of the Premiership season.
Ford reportedly is a frequent visitor to his home town of Saddleworth where he part-owns a coffee shop with his brother Joe. There is also the precedent that the out-half doesn’t sign an extension at a club that has released his father. Mike Ford led Bath to the 2015 Premiership final but he soon lost his head coach job there and it was followed by George signing for Tigers in 2017.
Mike has since left his defence coach position at Leicester after his contract wasn’t renewed there last summer under Steve Borthwick and months later there is now speculation that George will also likely leave at the end of this season when his own contract is up.
TRANSFER: Pat Lam will finally get to work again with his coveted Connacht PRO12 title winning out-half…#USA #GallagherPrem #Bears #Sharks
https://t.co/cNG9rn7dX2— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 10, 2021
Currently in their first full season under Alex Sanderson, Sale are placed eighth after three wins in eight matches so far. They have had their injury issues at out-half and have left points behind with missed late kicks from rookies 10s in some of their games. Ford last played for England in their March 2021 Six Nations loss to Ireland and he has since been eclipsed in the Test squad pecking order by the emergence of Harlequins’ Marcus Smith and the renewed belief that Jones can make a viable Test out-half out of Northampton full-back Furbank.
The Telegraph have also reported that Sale will have further wriggle room to manoeuvre under the reduced salary cap with the likely departure of Springboks lock Lood de Jager back to South Africa when his contract runs out at the end of this season.
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"That was his response. What a bloke…"
– How Sale have reacted to another costly missed kick from Tom Curtis, their rookie 20-year-old sub out-half#Sharks #GallagherPrem #WORvSAL https://t.co/IyYYsVyR5R
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 29, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
80 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
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