England and Bath Outhalf George Ford warns England not to fall into the same trap as France and just target Johnathan Sexton come Saturday when the two titans meet.
France sent 19-stone centre Mathieu Bastareaud down Sexton’s channel relentlessly in the last round of the 6 nations, only for the Racing Metro fly-half to wrap up the Toulon centre more often than not.
Sexton picked up a slight cut on his eyebrow but showed no lasting signs of his concussions after 12 weeks off. Ireland went on to edge France 18-11, all from the boot of Sexton (5 penalties) and Leinsters’ Ian Madigan (1 penalty).
Ford’s elementary rugby education came at the hands of stalwart Ireland half-backs Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara, while his father, Mike Ford, was Irelands’ Defence coach. Ford’s private kicking sessions in the Ireland squad at the age of 10 definitely helped the young playmakers skill.
“It’s definitely not just a case of stop Sexton and you stop Ireland at all I don’t think,” said Ford, ahead of the potential Six Nations decider.
“I think he’s a brilliant player, you saw that against France; after being out for 12 weeks to come back and play like that, he drove Ireland to that win.
“He’s just massively influential in that team, everything goes through him.
“He’s got a brilliant rugby brain; he’s a very smart player.
“The biggest thing is his desire to win and hunger to get the best out of the players on his team, but also his determination to go out and give his best as well.
“But their physicality is unbelievable with the pack they’ve got.
“The breakdown is always massive against them, and that’s probably what decides the game.
“Rory Best and Sean O’Brien are brilliant over the ball, and brilliant at disrupting other teams’ ball too.
“So you’ve then got Simon Zebo, Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney at full-back, who are all massively dangerous as well.”
Ford is one of rugby’s most astute students, tirelessly poring over matches and assimilating all the sharpest elements into his own approach.
From early tips from O’Gara and Stringer to borrowing the best bits from Dan Carter and Matt Giteau, Ford is determined to keep on learning – even from current Ireland counterpart Sexton.
“You try to watch as many games as you can, just because you love rugby,” said Ford.
“But you also want to see the way others play, how they see the game and what they do.
“You’re constantly learning watching games, so to watch Sexton how he goes about his game, the way he drives his team and how influential he is, that’s something you can only learn from as a 10.”
Former Great Britain rugby league half-back Mike Ford acted as Ireland’s defence coach from 2002 to 2005, with his sons often found milling around the Test camps.
Even as a primary school pupil who grew up playing rugby league, George Ford seized any advice he could, ultimately showing that both codes can benefit from eachother.
The eight-cap playmaker still has the shirt Peter Stringer gave him as a 10-year-old – a constant source of mirth now the pair are Bath team-mates.
“My dad brought us into the changing room after a game at Twickenham once and Peter Stringer gave me his shirt,” said Ford.
“I was still young but it fit me because he was that small!
“He remembers, and I remind him all the time.
“He just laughs at that story, he’s a brilliant guy.
“He said it was the weirdest thing ever to be playing in the same team as me at Bath, but he soon got used to it I suppose.
“The likes of Strings and ROG gave me great advice, we used to go and kick balls back to them and things like that.
“Growing up with that experience, to see those players and how they trained, it was brilliant.
“The way O’Gara managed the game, his kicking game especially was awesome.”