George Ford ruled out of England’s summer tour
George Ford has been ruled out of England’s tour to Japan and New Zealand with an Achilles injury that will leave Fin Smith and Marcus Smith to fight it out for the No 10 shirt.
England head coach Steve Borthwick will name a touring party on Monday and is expected to confirm that Jamie George will remain as captain. Northampton wing Ollie Sleightholme, who finished as the Premiership’s top try-scorer, and Sale full back Joe Carpenter are set to be among several uncapped players included in the party.
Ford started every match for England during this year’s Six Nations and helped engineer an attacking transformation over the course of the campaign. Despite joining the England training squad following Sale Sharks’ Premiership semi-final defeat to Bath, it was agreed with the club that the 31-year-old would not tour after being bothered by a pre-existing Achilles injury.
That would seem to leave Harlequins’ Marcus Smith in a straight fight with namesake Fin Smith, fresh from winning the Premiership with Northampton on Saturday, to fill the No 10 shirt on the tour which begins against Japan on June 22 before back-to-back Tests against the All Blacks on July 6 and 13.
“Naturally we’re disappointed that George won’t be with us in Japan and New Zealand, but, following specialist medical advice, and in consultation with George himself, we have decided this is the best course of action,” Borthwick said. “George is a big part of the England team and is an excellent professional who I know will rehab diligently to ensure he gets himself right as soon as he can.”
Following Owen Farrell’s decision to step away from international rugby, Marcus Smith was widely expected to be England’s starting fly-half coming into the Six Nations. However, the 25-year-old suffered a calf injury in England’s training camp in Girona that ruled him out of the start of the Championship allowing Ford to take over at fly-half.
Now the Harlequin could be usurped by 22-year-old Fin Smith, who capped a tremendous season by being awarded the Rugby Players’ Association’s Players’ Player of the Year award as well as guiding Northampton to their first Premiership title in ten years. The former Worcester Warrior did have to be helped off the pitch, but was suffering from cramp which will not endanger his participation on the tour.
Borthwick is awaiting a full fitness report from a bruising final before making a final decision with Northampton hooker Curtis Langdon going off with a suspected shoulder injury. The uncapped Bristol Bear Gabriel Oghre has impressed in training and is likely to receive a call-up if Langdon is not passed fit.
The Premiership champions should still be rewarded with a sizeable contingent in Borthwick’s party with Langdon, Sleightholme and tighthead prop Trevor Davison all pushing hard for call-ups.
Beno Obano’s red card at Twickenham and likely ban will rule the loosehead prop out of touring and flanker Ted Hill is understood to have missed out. However, Ben Spencer is set to be included as a third scrum half alongside Northampton’s Alex Mitchell and Bristol’s Harry Randall after an outstanding individual display in the final.
Carpenter’s uncapped Sale team-mate Tom Roebuck is also set to make the cut while both Tom and Ben Curry are also understood to have made the plane. Tom only made his comeback after six months out with hip injury in Sale’s semi-final defeat to Bath after a gruelling rehabilitation from a hip injury.
“Ben has become one of the best players that I have coached,” Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said after the final. “I have been very fortunate to coach some very good nines in my time from Fourie du Preez and Conor Murray and now Ben Spencer.”
Carpenter is likely to be seen as the most eye-raising inclusion but offers an alternative ball-playing full-back option to George Furbank, who can also provide fly-half cover in Ford’s absence. Carpenter’s uncapped Sale team-mate Tom Roebuck is also set to make the cut while both Tom and Ben Curry are under strong consideration for touring places.
Saracens second row Maro Itoje will also tour despite being 95 minutes away from breaking a game-limit agreement. It is likely that he will be granted an extended off season in return.
