England rugby ace George Ford makes new vow ahead of 100th international cap
At 32, George Ford is now more than a decade into an international career that has seen him win a hat-trick of Six Nations titles, reach a World Cup final and win a pair of Premiership crowns
George Ford is set to become just the seventh man to play 100 Tests for England when he tours Argentina this summer, but the fly-half believes he still has a lot more to give.
At 32, Ford is now more than a decade into an international career that has seen him win a hat-trick of Six Nations titles, reach a World Cup final and win a pair of Premiership crowns.
The emergence of Fin Smith saw him restricted to just 20 minutes of action during the Six Nations, but the Saints fly-half, along with namesake Marcus, will not take on the Pumas after being selected for the Lions Tour. Ford would have been a worthy inclusion in Andy Farrell's squad but missed out once again, the one accolade missing from a storied career.
Instead, he is set to bring up his century for England in La Plata next month, and where some positions in rugby might lend themselves to a shorter career, Ford believes that the longevity of fly-halves mean that he is a long way from hanging them up.
He said: 'It's a milestone (100 caps) and one I'd be very proud to achieve. To get anywhere near 100 caps for your country shows the level of consistency you need to do that. Having said that, I'm not looking to get to 100 and stop. It's not the end goal, 100 and I'll walk away into the distance. I still believe that I can perform and play at this very top level and I'm excited and hungry to do so.
'When or if it happens, you make your family proud, that is the biggest thing for me.
"The commitment and choices and sacrifice they have made to allow me to have the career I've had; milestones are nice for people like my family. It makes them proud and that is why I play, to make my family proud.
'I think fly-half, scrumhalf, it's one of the few positions where you probably see people like Johnny Sexton, Dan Biggar, going into their late 30s. You are in a game manager's position, and you are in the middle of the field. A lot of it is mental and experience, managing games and making decisions, influencing the team. As opposed to a winger, where physically you probably have to be at the top of your game.
'I think it's got the potential to do that, I feel good physically, I'm hungry, that's the important thing. I'm still driven to play at this top level and perform at the top level. I'm probably as motivated as I've ever been.'
Ford has joined up with his England teammates after Sale Sharks missed out in the Premiership play-offs away to Leicester Tigers, his former club. That means that he will likely feature at the Allianz Stadium when an England XV take on a France XV on June 21, the perfect tune-up for the tour of Argentina and the USA.
And with England skipper Maro Itoje, along with a host of other first-teamers, away on Lions duty, Ford knows that he will need to step up as a leader – a role he has relished ever since breaking into the side as a 20-year-old.
He added: 'I think I've been in that position for a few years now, so nothing changes for me in terms of trying to help and lead the team in the right way.
'The difference is where you would have a group of senior players all helping each other out, you probably lose a few of them. So how can you maybe get others who are used to being in the group come along and help you more? You don't want to be too over the top with it each other, you want lads to be authentic with it, you don't want them to feel under pressure to lead either. I know there will be a few in this group who will step up so it's just about identifying that.
'Ben Curry is the captain at Sale, and he leads through his actions more than anything. He's very good and can influence the group a lot.
'You've got people like Henry Slade, who has been around the environment a lot, who can lead in his own way and young lads who can hopefully come in, Jack van Poortvliet, Freddie Steward, they have been around a long time and understand international rugby. They play in important positions as well; it will be looking to people like that. They have a final this week but when they come in, to try and help grow the team.
'Jack has had some senior responsibility at Leicester. So, someone like him, he's a brilliant player anyway, but I don't think he understands how he can influence the team, because he can do it brilliantly.'
Make sure to cheer on the England Men's XV against a France XV on Saturday 21st June at Allianz Stadium so together, we raise the roof. Tickets from £25, please visit www.englandrugby.com/xvtickets
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