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Gallagher Premiership

George Ford the latest England star targeted by French clubs

George Ford of Sale Sharks walks through a throng of supporters prior to the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Play-Off Semi Final match between Bath Rugby and Sale Sharks at The Recreation Ground on June 01, 2024 in Bath, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

George Ford is the latest England international targetted for a move to France after Clermont Auvergne launched a bid to take him across the English Channel.

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Sale Sharks have been locked in talks with the former Leicester Tigers and Bath fly-half and they had been confident of completing a deal to take him through until the next Rugby World Cup.

Clermont – who currently sit in 8th on the Top 14 table – are looking for someone to replace Benjamín Urdapilleta, who is returning to Argentina at the end of the season and are ready to put a spanner in the Sale Sharks bid to keep him.

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Oldham-born Ford, 31, is closing in on winning his 100th test cap and would become unavailable for Steve Borthwick if he decides to take up Clermont’s offer.

But Clermont, who have won three and lost three of their opening six games this season, might not be the only offer on the table, depending on what France star Matthieu Jalibert decides to do when his contract runs out next summer.

Bordeaux Begles are waiting to see if they have been successful in their bid to retain Jailbert’s services before they have a look to see who is available to move to the Stade Chaban-Delmas next season.

Castres are also looking at their options while both Paris clubs Stade Francais and Racing 92 are looking, but a move to the latter is unlikely considering that they signed Ford’s former England team-mate Owen Farrell last summer.

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Ford missed England’s summer tour of New Zealand with an Achilles tendon injury and is battling to be fit for the Autumn international programme after suffering a tear to his right quad in the Sharks defeat to Saracens.

Ford didn’t need an operation on the injury and is targetting a return to action in time for England’s opener against New Zealand at Twickenham on 2 November.

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Comments

3 Comments
A
AA 143 days ago

Agreed Ford should take the money.

Sale scored 10 tries and bonus points in both matches Ford not played.

So regardless of his miraculous control in games they haven't missed him One bit.

Marcus nailed on 10 for England now . Fin back up .

Best go while he can .

M
MP 143 days ago

The Smiths are the future for England at 10, so he may as well take the cash.

B
Bull Shark 143 days ago

I hope George Ford moves to France. Would be a great move for him.

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OrdonezRicci 24 minutes ago
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J
JW 28 minutes ago
France change two for Ireland but stick with 7-1 bench tactic

I hope super bee and mopar didn’t read it all.

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J
JW 37 minutes ago
The numbers show Super Rugby Pacific just got even tougher

“The competition is tough, because you’ve got to spit out performances every week, and to be able to do that consistently you’ve got to have good depth.”

You’ve got to look forward to next weekend more than anything too.

The bonus points view is a good one. The majority of bonus points earned in the first three rounds last season were for scoring three tries more than the opposition, while three quarters of bonus points in 2025 have gone to the losing side getting to within seven points of the victors.

They really use this sorta system? Much smaller pool of bonus points available, that would mean they have far less impact. Interestingly you must be withen winning range/chance in France’s Top 14 league, rather that just draw territory, so 6 points instead of 7. Fairly arbitrary and pointless (something the NRL would do to try and look cool), but kinda cool.


I said it Nick’s and other articles, I’m not sure about the fixed nature of matchups in these opening rounds. For instance, I would be interested in seeing an improved ranking/prediction/reflection ladder to what we had last year, were some author here game so rejigged list of teams purely based of ‘who had played who’ so far in the competition. It was designed to analyze the ladder and better predict what the real order would be after the full round robin had completed. It needed some improvement, like factoring in historical data as well, as it was a bit skiwif, but it is the sort of thing that would give a better depiction of what sort of contests weve had so far, because just using my intuition, the matchups have been very ‘level appropriate’ so far, and were jet to get the other end of the spectrum, season ranked bottom sides v top sides etc.

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JW 1 hour ago
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dw 2 hours ago
Will Vern Cotter succumb to second season Blues in Auckland?

They have picked a relatively big tight head prop off the bench and I hope Blake Schoup kicks on as a decent scrummager. Am a little concerned about Slips but let’s hope he proves me wrong tonight

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dw 2 hours ago
The revitalised Australians are pushing a Super Rugby revival

I heard something about an aussie comp with just the 4 Aussie super rugby teams being run around September. I liked the idea but have heard or read nothing since. This would give the fringe wallaby players and up and coming talent a comp to play in while the Wallabies are playing.

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GrandDisse 3 hours ago
Six Nations isn't over for Garry Ringrose despite his red card ban

Instead of increasing the number of weeks ban, just automatically taking into account all potential matchs would avoid this difference of outcome, regardless of the week off.

Both players had an important role in their team anyway. For the past 5 years, Ringrose never played for Leinster during the 6 nations period.

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GP 3 hours ago
Codie Taylor returns for Crusaders in team to host Reds

Looking forward to Taha Kemara having another great game at 10. He has built on his game with more game time. Playing ouside our break through Player of the Year Kyle Preston . Scored 3 tries on his debut off the bench 3 weeks ago. Another outstanding young halfback , Noah Hotham, back soon from injury.

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Cantab 3 hours ago
The numbers show Super Rugby Pacific just got even tougher

Fortuitous that the Reds have an away game this week. Too soon to tell which teams will fill the top spots until everyone has played all other teams. Chiefs look to be the likely leader overall but the competition seems to be much more even this year and injuries to key players may be a deciding factor.

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M
Marlece Davis 4 hours ago
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JW 4 hours ago
Will Vern Cotter succumb to second season Blues in Auckland?

I’m actually looking forward to Beauden playing playing 10 this week. Plummer being Plummer just isn’t enough when the team is playing like this, I hope he can displace Beauden afterwards, even just for a short stretch of good games. I see BB as 3rd choice 10 backup now, and likely bench utility (Dmac to 15 and Jordan to wing).now more than the impact at 15 or starter he was last year, so getting him playing 10 in 20min bursts is imperative to his successful contribution imo. I really hope Vern tells him to play the Blues way and put the boot away either side of halfway (like a long way either side).

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R
Rob 4 hours ago
Ireland change four for France, beef up their bench to a 6-2 split

For an out and out winger absolutely you can’t drop them at fullback except Osbourne is a natural fullback. I’m well aware of Keenan’s positional ability my point was Keenan defends fullback and attacks on the wing and vice versa for Crowley.

Osbourne played every game of that campaign at 12 and if you’re going to hold the one loss in extra time of that campaign against him you’re arguing in pretty bad faith.

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J
JW 4 hours ago
Will Vern Cotter succumb to second season Blues in Auckland?

Well positively, sure. Though the old saying is you know they’ve had a good game when…

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Tom 4 hours ago
France change two for Ireland but stick with 7-1 bench tactic

That is genius.


Healy would do it too. I remember he had his roller skates on versus Dan Cole and then stamped on Cole’s ankle in a ruck. 👍

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Tom 5 hours ago
France change two for Ireland but stick with 7-1 bench tactic

I'm not sure those buffalo are going to be that tired when they all trott off at the 50 minute mark.

42 Go to comments
T
Tom 5 hours ago
France change two for Ireland but stick with 7-1 bench tactic

This is really innovative from Galthié, he has a great rugby brain.

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C
Chris929 5 hours ago
Carol Isherwood appointed to historic Lions role

I couldnt leave maud muir out, so playing her and bern makes sense-muir has played plenty at LH in the past. Nothing much between callender/kabeya-but callender is often excellent and stands out in a poor wales side. Its not quite all red roses back line-went for bevan at 9 who i think would be excellent behind such a strong pack. Rowland often gets shunted in at centre or even at full back- i still think shes best at 10 and possibly has better all round game than atichison/harrison. being a lions side you dont have to copy england!

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PR 6 hours ago
France change two for Ireland but stick with 7-1 bench tactic

Yes, and YOU weren’t screwed over by a draw, yet I’ve never seen someone take a loss so personally. You’ve been bleating about this since 2023 for goodness sake - shoe-horning it into any and every conversation. Just let it go. It’s an embarrassingly weak argument that does your team and its (largely pleasant) supporters base no favours at all.

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Mzilikazi 6 hours ago
The numbers show Super Rugby Pacific just got even tougher

“…….this is the most exciting start to a Super Rugby campaign in recent memory.” That is for sure, Brett.


Back to comment more later. Still dry here in Toowoomba, so out to finish last touches to home defences, before Cyclone Alfred really affects us. Gold Coast with over 200 mm rain in some places. Currently looks like we get rain but not bad winds.

3 Go to comments
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