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George Ford masterclass and defensive organisation bode well for England | Nick Evans

Fly-half stayed cool under pressure to conserve his forwards’ energy while Kevin Sinfield’s defensive preparation paid off

George Ford’s masterclass at fly-half against Argentina is going to give Steve Borthwick a selection headache when Owen Farrell comes back from suspension, because his 27-point haul was the best performance I’ve seen from him for either club or country. It’s a nice headache to have and beating Argentina gives Borthwick the breathing space to nail down his selection at fly-half during the rest of the pool stage but it is a decision to be made nonetheless.

Part of the reason is that Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant were so effective together in the centres and as England have been craving cohesion in midfield, I wouldn’t be tinkering with that part of the team. Manu may not have seen the ball as much as he’d have liked but he brings that focal point and defensively he was excellent. And Marchant is your engine in midfield, with great work-rate and an ability to make really important covering tackles.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CzGFVX8

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