Alex Sanderson urges Steve Borthwick to place trust in 'magician' George Ford - 'Pick him and make him captain!'
Published 25/10/2025 at 23:19 GMT+1
Sale Sharks head coach Alex Sanderson gave a piece of advice to England's Steve Borthwick, prompting him to pick George Ford and hand over the captaincy to the fly-half. Ford was the mastermind behind Sale's comeback against Leicester Tigers in PREM Rugby action before ultimately losing by a single point. The 32-year-old is being backed for inclusion in England's Quilter Nations Series Tests.
'Pick him and make him captain!' - Sanderson backs Ford star in England's QNS campaign
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Alex Sanderson has offered some advice to England head coach Steve Borthwick, telling him to pick George Ford and "make him captain".
Sanderson's Sale Sharks side lost to Leicester Tigers by a single point on Saturday, but Ford once again proved why he is still an international-quality fly-half, despite ending up on the losing side.
A master of manipulating defences and choosing the right option, Ford was at his attacking best against Leicester and was responsible for several Sale tries.
The 32-year-old was included in Borthwick's squad for a three-day camp before the Quilter Nations Series, but is expected to be a tertiary option to Fin Smith and Marcus Smith, who have cemented their respective places as Borthwick's preferred options at 10.
"He's a little magician, isn't he?" Sanderson said following Saturday's defeat. "He's the first person I ring up on Sunday. He's brilliant; he's the one who's driving our responses.
"And he took a few knocks today, he's a tough little sod. They got him in the head and he's got a bit of a shiner that he'll take into the England camp next week.
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"But him and his brother Joey are the driving force behind the attacking intent that we needed, and sometimes that lets the opposition in. But today it was him that kept us in the game, his composure and his ability to respond."
When asked if, in Borthwick's shoes, he would pick Ford, Sanderson replied: "100%. If anyone's earned their way back into that England shirt through what he's done over the course of last season, how he's responded individually to some of his setbacks and not getting picked for the Six Nations.
"Pick him and make him captain! That's my advice, Steven."
Whilst Sanderson said it with a smile, it was a truly masterful performance from the Sale general, and he carried their comeback on his shoulders, battered and bruised and targeted by Leicester's heavy hitters.
Ford's sole focus will have been on winning, yet it is hard not to view his display as a response to that of Marcus Smith earlier in the day, and Fin Smith the night before.
The former masterminded Harlequins' thrashing of Newcastle Red Bulls. The latter showed a distribution masterclass as he faced off with Owen Farrell and his Saracens cohort.
Ford then took his final England audition with aplomb, and he dragged Sale within a point of stealing a win, even with a black eye courtesy of a Leicester hit.
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Highlights: Radwan stars as Tigers fend off spirited Sale comeback
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England kick off their autumn campaign with a fierce clash with the Wallabies on November 1, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
They face Fiji after, before a highly-anticipated face-off with The All Blacks midway through the month, before closing out the series against Argentina.
Ford will no doubt be included in the final squad to give depth in the 10 position, but where he sits in that hierarchy remains to be seen.
Ford has 'genuine shout of starting' against Wallabies
TNT Sports pundits Ben Kay and Brian O'Driscoll both offered their thoughts and opinions on Ford's chances after Sanderson's praise for his fly-half.
"I don't think he will," O'Driscoll said about the possibility of Ford starting against Australia. "I think the guys in possession are Fin Smith and Marcus. But he'd do a phenomenal job for you.
"They're so lucky to have those three players, and Owen Farrell waiting in the wings. They're really high-quality players with very little between; they all have the capacity to unlock defenders.
"I think with George Ford, I'm not entirely sure about the physical side of his game with international rugby. I think he's falling off tackles a little bit more. But going forward, there's no doubt there aren't many players that are able to pick the correct pass with no time."
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Ford has 'genuine shout of starting' against Wallabies for England
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Kay, however, thinks Ford's form last season and his impressive showings early in the PREM campaign have earned him a genuine chance of starting in November.
"I'm not sure," he responded. "I think he's in with a genuine shout of starting.
"I think Fin Smith had a brilliant game last night, but it wouldn't surprise me if Steve Borthwick, particularly against Australia, had that on-field coach to direct things. I think we might see different 10s start in different games."
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