George Ford could easily have called it a day for England’s clash with Italy after being left out of the matchday 23.
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Instead, rather than throwing his toys out of the pram, the 105-cap England veteran has embraced a coaching-style role, underlining his commitment to the team and its future.
Ford travelled to Rome with the squad and has played an important part in preparations, acting as a mentor to Fin Smith and Marcus Smith.
“I think he’s a phenomenal player,” Steve Borthwick said previously. “I think I’ve gone on record saying that many years from now he’s going to be a brilliant coach.
“He’s the kind of character who has such a great understanding of the game that I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he became England head coach at some point in the future. I think he will be, if that’s the path he chooses.
“Having a player and person with that level of understanding, calmness and leadership — I think he’s phenomenal.”
Five quirky facts about George Ford
Ford was just 20 years old when he made his England debut, becoming one of the youngest fly-halves to start a Test for the national side.
Rugby runs in the family — his dad Mike Ford was England’s defence coach and a former rugby league international.
Ford captained England U20s to Junior World Championship glory in 2013, with a squad that included future stars like Maro Itoje and Jack Nowell.
Away from rugby, Ford’s wife Atdhetare “Addy” Hoxha is a successful restaurateur who runs hospitality businesses in Greater Manchester.
Hoxha’s story is remarkable — she arrived in the UK as a refugee from Kosovo as a child, before later building a successful career in the restaurant industry.
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