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The career-defining choice facing George Ford
Over the next few weeks, George Ford will find himself across a table from the Leicester Tigers board as they try to thrash out a new deal.
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Tigers – an institution of English rugby – are near the foot of the Gallagher Premiership and recovering from a bruising loss to local rivals Northampton last weekend.
The venerable English club have problems – big problems. A world-class backline finds itself hamstrung by an underpowered pack and successive, ad hoc coaching appointments have done untold damage to the fabric of the organisation.
If Tigers are going to do anything this season, then it’s going to be Ford that does it. Ford knows it, his agent knows it and Tigers know it.
Also, with the club for sale, Ford is not just a playing asset but a commercial asset. A winning team, led by one of England’s biggest stars, is essential to any sales prospectus. In short, Ford is likely to become one of the highest-paid players in the English game if not the highest.
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Yet, this is not the whole story. Obviously Ford wants to make sure he can pay his mortgage but he also wants to win things and at 26 he needs to start winning now. An honest assessment of Leicester Tigers would lead to the conclusion that they are still a world away from appearing at the top table of Europe, let alone winning it or challenging for the Premiership title.
So what are Ford’s options? Tigers are certainly the favourites. They could use a marquee player slot for Ford and pay him literally whatever they wanted without it affecting the salary cap. As Ford is already a Premiership player, no other team can make him a marquee player. So the expectation is for Ford to become the Leicester’s highest-paid player with a deal that will smash the £500k deal signed by Manu Tuilagi earlier this year.
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Another club trying to match that offer would in all likelihood need to get rid of several very good players to make the numbers work under salary cap rules. Furthermore, the clubs most likely to win are already pretty settled positionally and culturally at fly-half.
They're not fine. pic.twitter.com/gTu2H1nYnV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 5, 2019
This last point is particularly important. For example, Exeter Chiefs have Gareth Steenson and Joe Simmons at fly-half. Both are excellent players but someway short of Ford. Those lads have the Devon club woven into the fabric of their being. Not only are they very good players but they know the club and what is expected of them.
The collective is always more important than the player. As excellent as Ford is, would he be worth asking four Chiefs to pack their bags and get out of dodge? Probably not.
There are also time constraints. Clubs are not yet able to officially approach Ford and by the time they are, a club would like to have completed all its re-signing and spent most of its cap. Any club likely to win next season would not be able to get Ford under the cap without ripping up large parts of their squad and any club that could afford him don’t have a squad capable of winning.
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The only hope Ford has of winning next year is by taking a large pay cut to go to an established team, which is certainly not ideal. There are only a few realistic options for Ford in the Premiership and they are all predicated on the dominos falling in the correct order.
Gloucester could be an option if Danny Cipriani, although contracted through to 2022, decides to go to France for a big payday now that his England career is likely over. Combine that with Owen Williams being out of contract and you could find the money for Ford with minimum disruption.
Bath have been desperate to spend on a fly-half since Ford left but this seems unlikely. Bristol, too, could potentially make room for Ford. Following the signing of the brilliant Semi Radradra, Pat Lam indicated he had more cap room to play with. In addition, Ian Madigan, one of the Premiership’s highest-paid players, is currently out of favour and seems destined for the exit at Ashton Gate.
Ian Madigan has an interesting call to make as he comes to the end of his contract cycle https://t.co/HXmAxYJPke
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 2, 2019
It is doubtful those two clubs could match a good Tigers offer but if they are challenging for silverware, would they need to? France and Japan are also out of the question for Ford for the time being due to England’s eligibility rules, but there might be another option.
Ford could join Sonny Bill Williams and co in the Super League. It sounds stupid on the face of it but the money might be there. Leeds Rhinoes are certainly interested and Ford has stated his wish to play at St Helens. Remember, Ford was weaned on the gritty northern sport.
He is from rugby league heartland and played at both Saddleworth Rangers and Waterhead near Oldham from the age of five. He could join any team that could afford him and almost certainly become a Super League marquee player (Super League also have a salary cap).
Such a switch would make sense from a timing point of view. Who knows what state England are going to be in as the RFU dither over Eddie Jones’ next contract – they have already let half the coaching staff leave. Ford could go and compete for the famed Challenge Cup while England go through a rebuild. He could fight for Super League titles for two years and then be back in rugby union by October 2022.
Not only does he get a chance to fill his trophy cabinet but it gives English Premiership teams time to table Ford an offer using their marquee space. That will be possible as they would be signing a player from a different league, unlike if the switch were to happen now from Leicester. In effect, Ford would have created a huge market for his signature and the perfect conditions for teams to sign him.
As departing All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams prepares for life in Canada with ambitious rugby league side the Toronto Wolfpack, a new report has emerged that he could be joined by English midfielder Manu Tuilagi. pic.twitter.com/KwdfTTWwnq
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 8, 2019
He would be the biggest signing in rugby league’s Super League and then quickly the biggest signing in rugby union’s Premiership. The bidding war for the England No10, who could potentially have a Super League ring on his finger, would make Ford a very rich man indeed.
He could simply pick the best situation for him, making his England return that much easier in time for the 2023 World Cup in France. If Ford is really serious about wanting to play rugby league he should do it now as he would have no shortage of union offers when he decides to return.
WATCH: Recently-retired All Black Sonny Bill Williams is unveiled by Super League’s Toronto Wolfpack
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….
84 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.
3 Go to comments