Ford back at flyhalf for England v New Zealand
SHOWS: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND COACH EDDIE JONES SPEAKING ABOUT RECALLING GEORGE FORD AT FLYHALF, SAYING:
"Well every game we have a look at the conditions, the opposition, what we think we need to do, what we think we need to take away from the opposition and this is the best fit for us. It's horses for courses."
TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - OCTOBER 8, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
2. GEORGE FORD AND ELLIOTT DAY TRAINING
3. FORD
TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JONES SPEAKING ABOUT GEORGE FORD, SAYING:
"Well work rate is going to be important you know whenever you play New Zealand, your work off the ball is going to be massively important. You know they like to move the ball around, they are very good at transition, and George's work rate off the ball is absolutely exceptional."
TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - OCTOBER 8, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
5. FORD AT TRAINING SESSION
TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLAND FLYHALF GEORGE FORD SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE, SAYING:
"Got a different role this week now to last week but my job for the team hasn't changed in terms of whether I'm starting or whether I'm finishing, what I do in the week, what I do on match day is all for hoping making the team win and doing my job and yeah, like I said, a bit of a different role this week but all 31 of us have had a role again and 23 are lucky enough to take the field at weekend so we're hugely excited as a group."
STORY: England coach Eddie Jones has reverted to his twin playmaker approach by recalling George Ford at flyhalf and shifting Owen Farrell to centre for Saturday's (October 26) World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, dropping Henry Slade to the bench.
That had been his preferred tactic in the pool phase of the tournament, when Ford was outstanding. But he dropped the Leicester man to the bench for the quarter-final win over Australia, against whom Jones said he had been "spectacular" after coming on during the second half.
Manu Tuilagi moves to outside centre while the pack is the same as against Australia, with the only other change being on the bench where Mark Wilson replaces Lewis Ludlam as back row cover.
Jonny May has recovered from a hamstring strain to start on the left wing, with Anthony Watson on the right and Elliot Daly at fullback.
Explaining his flyhalf switch, Jones said: "Whenever you play against New Zealand your work off the ball is going to be massively important. They like to move the ball around, they are very good on transition and George's work-rate off the ball has been absolutely exceptional."
Dropping Ford last week was seen as a way to stiffen the midfield to counter the physical threat of Australia centre Samu Kerevi. New Zealand midfield of Anton Lienert-Brown and Jack Goodhue brings a different, more technical and mobile threat, which Jones is confident Ford can handle.
Having him and Farrell back in harness, as they were for most of the World Cup warm-ups and pool games, gives more attacking options, with the likelihood that Ford will give way for Slade in the second half.
(Production: Jill Gralow/Annette Faydenko)
