Players may have their names printed on their jerseys these days, but the number 10 jersey still has a special resonance in England’s rugby union match against Wales. For better or worse, the invaders carry the weight of national expectation more than anyone else. Welsh fly-halfs are not the only ones operating in the shadow of ancient legends and feeling the hallowed hand of history on their shoulders.
George Ford is the best example of this. This will be his 93rd cap for England but even now there is a slight sense that he is struggling to establish himself as a regular starter. It’s always been that way: after his World Cup drop-goal masterclass against Argentina last year, he was quickly brought down by the returning Owen Farrell, while the Smiths, Marcus and Fin are now chasing him. As the Sale center muttered this week: “Maybe I should have played scrum-half.”
Relating to: Jamie George urges England to ‘show passion’ in Six Nations battle with Wales
But this weekend, he is well and truly center stage. No Owen, no Marcus, a consummate professional whose Test career includes many important England-Wales matches. His debut came as a substitute in that fixture a decade ago, and the following year he was frustratingly relegated to the bench in the pool match that decided the fate of the 2015 World Cup – “It was a game where maybe I just couldn’t handle it at my best”. A stunning goal-scoring display under the Friday night lights of Cardiff in February 2015, an assisting role in Elliot Daly’s final game-winning try in 2017… With 11 wins and three defeats against Wales, the good days easily outnumber the bad .
However, it has rarely been a simple choice journey. “I went through all the emotions: disappointment, disappointment, heartbroken, angry. When I was younger… you fall, you hit rock bottom and it’s like a rollercoaster ride. However, now you still experience the same feelings, but what is important is how quickly you can accept your role. When you’re not playing as well as you want, you’re not in good form and you’re not making the cut… those are the moments that really test you and show who you are. Do you throw your toys out of the stroller, or do you think, ‘No, stuff that,’ and get better from there?”
Along with the importance of supporting herself, she also realized long ago the pointlessness of worrying too much about what others think. “The one thing that has been constant and consistent since my debut has been the debate in England about who will play at number 10. Even before I came into the England team my dad was coaching and it was exactly the same. It’s always been that way… I’m not sure why. Who should play?” “Everyone has their own opinion on what should be done and how England should play. You get used to the noise out there.”
There are still plenty around. Ford and Farrell were childhood friends and few can better understand the mental pressures that led the latter to step away from the national side. In Ford’s case, he got used to compartmentalizing such things. “If I focus on what others think, it takes my concentration down a different path. I do not want to do this. “If some people agree or disagree about who should play for England, it doesn’t matter to me.”
But there is no doubt that Farrell’s absence has changed the dynamic in the England squad. Even if wet weather predictions prove true, there’s certainly a collective urge to speculate a bit more, with a brighter outlook visible during last week’s victory in Rome. “I was saying [attack coach] “Richard Wigglesworth says the feeling on the pitch when we have the ball in training and against Italy is chalk and cheese compared to a few months ago,” confirms Ford. “We want to be a dangerous team with the ball in our hands. We made a good start last week and now we want to maintain that intention and continue our execution. There are only five games in the Six Nations… You want to make sure the development is rapid. “We want to improve again this week because that’s what we need fundamentally.”
Either way, Ford still believes the best in rugby is ahead of him. He also knows he must act without delay in Farrell’s absence if he wants to keep the talented Smiths behind. “It’s different… Owen has been a great leader for us and has stamped his authority on our team. But there is always a time when things change. I think for me and other leaders maybe it’s [better] not trying to replicate what it was like to be here with him and being a little more original. I know there’s a lot more to certain aspects of my game that I’ve worked so hard on. I think it will always be like this. Just when you think you’ve nailed it or broken it, that’s when you get caught.
ENGLAND
15 Freddie Steward (Leicester)
14 Tommy Freeman (Northampton)
13 Henry Slade (Exeter)
12 Fraser Dingwall (Northampton)
11th Elliot Daly (Saracens)
10 George Ford (Discount)
9 Alex Mitchell (Northampton)
one Joe Marler (Harlequins)
2 Jamie George (Sarakans)
3 Will Stuart (Bathroom)
4 Maro Itoje (Sarakans)
5 Ollie Chess (Leicester)
6 Ethan Roots (Exeter)
7 Sam Underhill (Bathhouse)
8 Ben Earl (Saracens)
Replacements
16 Theo Dan (Saracens) 17 Ellis Genge (Bristol) 18 Dan Cole (Leicester) 19 Alex Coles (Northampton) 20 Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins) 21 Danny Care (Harlequins) 22 Fin Smith (Northampton) 23 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter)
WALES
15 Cameron Winnett (Cardiff)
14 Josh Adams (Cardiff)
13 George North (Ospreys)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens)
11th Rio Dyer (Dragons)
10 Ioan Lloyd (Reds)
9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff)
one Gareth Thomas (Ospreys)
2 Elliot Dee (Dragons)
3 Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff)
4 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter)
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys)
6 Alex Mann (Cardiff)
7 Tommy Reffell (Leicester)
8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons)
Replacements
16 Ryan Elias (Reds) 17 Corey Domachowski (Cardiff) 18 Archie Griffin (Bathroom) 19 Will Rowlands (Race 92) 20 Taine Basham (Dragons) 21 Kieran Hardy (Reds) 22 Cai Evans (Dragons) 23 Mason Grady (Cardiff)
If Wales play like they did against Scotland in the second half, it could be a lively contest. First of all, Ford is being cautious about the events that may arise. “That’s how dangerous they can be. That’s why I think this week’s start is very important for us. I think Wales will have taken a lot away from the Scotland game in terms of the intensity they wanted to play with and how different the second half felt to the first half. “I think they will take this approach towards us as well.”
Ford, who is now 30 years old and on his way to becoming a possible future coach, is aware that the contributions of both himself and young defender Ioan Lloyd will be significantly shaped by the speed of the ball created in front of them. If this makes Wales winger Tommy Reffell perhaps the key man for both sides, it will primarily fall to Ford to manage England’s tactical play and score the crucial goals in Farrell’s absence.
So step forward, men who wear number 10. Although Ford has never met the late Barry John – “Obviously I’ve seen the footage and I know what a legendary player he is and what he did for Wales in that No 10 jersey” – he can sense Warren Gatland’s side will be hugely motivated. “When something like this happens, the whole nation gets a little more excited.” Victory should be England’s, but not if they sit back and wait for it to happen.