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6 hours ago
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George Ford has turned down the riches on offer from R360 for one last shot at a Rugby World Cup with England. The 32-year-old revealed he was approached by the rebel circuit, fronted by the former England centre Mike Tindall, but rejected a deal believed to be worth £1m a season to chase his dream.
Ford, who reached a century of caps last summer, has signed a three-year contract extension with Sale which will ensure his availability for the 2027 tournament in Australia.
“As players, we understand what’s going on with trying to set up this new league and they did contact my agent to have discussions,” said Ford. “My decision-making was purely based on the fact that I love playing for England and I’ve got an unbelievable desire to keep playing for England. It’s the same with Sale Sharks. I’ve loved my time here.
“It never really got any further than that with the conversations with the proposed new league. There were a couple of opportunities overseas but that would then mean that you’re calling time on your international career.
“I’ve had three different experiences in the three World Cups I’ve been to. We didn’t make it out of the pool in 2015, lost the final in 2019 and lost the semi-final and then won the third place play-off in 2023.
“They all give valuable lessons but the real reason you do it is to win trophies. That feeling of satisfaction that you’ve actually gone and worked hard and smart to achieve something at the end of it – it’s a massive motivation. There’s no better motivation than winning for England. It’s not just about representing England, you want to be part of a winning team.”
There are no guaranteed rewards for loyalty and for all that Ford is playing some of the best rugby of his career, he acknowledges he faces stronger competition than ever for the England No 10 shirt. Fin and Marcus Smith were picked ahead of him by Andy Farrell for the British & Irish Lions and there is also the intriguing possibility of Owen Farrell returning to Steve Borthwick’s England squad now he is back with Saracens. “I’d imagine Steve’s quite happy having four options like that,” said Ford.
He has no inside information, he insists, from his close friend Farrell over whether the former England captain does intend to put himself forward for international selection, but Ford is pleased to see him in the Prem again after his season of struggle at Racing 92.
“It probably felt a bit weird last year not having Owen in the English game,” said Ford. “It’s great to have him back and I think he’s fully settled in with his family. I know the influence he’ll be having at Saracens. You can just watch that over the first two or three games.”
The pair face each other on Saturday when Saracens and Sale meet at the StoneX Stadium.
Ford has started the domestic season in the same imperious form he showed on England’s summer tour where he co-captained England to a series win in Argentina. That trip underlined to him that England are assembling impressive depth at the halfway point of the World Cup cycle. He name-checks the Bath flanker Guy Pepper – “he has definitely got an unbelievable future ahead of him playing for England” – and the Gloucester centre Seb Atkinson as particularly valuable finds.
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The coaching additions on that tour also impressed him, and evidently Borthwick too. The England head coach signed up Lee Blackett from Bath full-time and is trying to bring in Byron McGuigan from Sale on a job share arrangement in time for the autumn Tests.
Ford already knew McGuigan, the Sharks defence coach, but felt a kinship working with the attack specialist Blackett for the first time. “He came in and added unbelievably well to our attack. He has got a very positive mindset, he wants us to be dangerous and go and score some tries.”
Ford, with his rugby computer of a mind, has his own ideas on how England need to evolve their attack. “The French teams are great at the unstructured side of it; the English DNA is more structured, If we can find a midpoint of that then we’ll be in a good spot,” he said.
Like his father Mike and brother Joe, he will inevitably become a coach one day. But for the time being it is all about maximising the return from his remaining years as a player in whatever way he can.
“In recent months, I’ve been doing a lot more pilates. I know that sounds funny but what it has done to help my hip, my back, my kicking, everything has been great,” he said. “We feel as rugby players we’re strong. When you’re in the gym you can lift weights and stuff but that has exposed a few areas in terms of weaknesses. I wish I’d have started it a bit earlier.”
