George Ford is ready to rejoin the selection soap opera following seven-month achilles injury

It has been a selection soap opera for as long as he can remember and now George Ford is ready to rejoin it — and remind everyone that the tussle for England’s No 10 shirt features more than two leading characters.

During his seven-month absence after rupturing an Achilles in last season’s Premiership final, the Sale fly-half has been a distant observer as an age-old debate has raged over the right choice as England’s primary playmaker.

While Eddie Jones tried to forge a partnership between Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell, the consensus among public and pundits alike was that it should be one or the other, not both.

Jones was sacked in December and replaced by Steve Borthwick, but the regime change has done nothing to settle the debate. Smith and Farrell joined forces against Scotland, then the captain started at 10 against Italy last weekend, with Smith on the bench.

Ford is fit again and hell-bent on reigniting his Test career, but he is aware that the role he covets attracts endless attention, speculation and opinion.

George Ford has returned after a seven-month injury lay off and is keen to lay down his credentials

The fly half ruptured an Achilles during last year’s Premiership final – he is now targeting an England return

Ford’s coach at Leicester was one Steve Borthwick – perhaps doing wonders for his selection prospects 

‘It’s always the biggest debate and discussion for England,’ he said. ‘It always has been. But that’s just part and parcel of it.

‘I think back to before I was in the England squad and it was exactly the same then. We had Toby Flood, Jonny Wilkinson was still there for a period of time, Danny Cipriani, Charlie Hodgson before that. It’s just the way it is. I want to be in it again. I’m 29 now and I feel like my best rugby is ahead of me.’

By mentioning his age, Ford inadvertently identified a perception issue. Having burst on to the scene while a teenager and amassed a tally of 81 Test caps, there can be a sense that he is older than he actually is.

But he is convinced he is entering his prime and has the sort of know-how and pedigree which is such an asset at the sharp end of the international game.

‘Especially at fly-half, experience is invaluable at the top level,’ he said. ‘I reckon you will be at your best at 31, 32. You see it all the time — look at Johnny Sexton and Dan Carter. Wilkinson probably played his best rugby at Toulon in that period of his career.

‘Test rugby is different to playing No 10 at Premiership level where things aren’t as challenging. You have got to understand the game and think clearly a bit more at Test level — it’s not so much about the big moments or the flash moments. It’s about, “What can I do for the team to put them in the right position? How can I influence the team to build pressure?”

‘You need a bit of creativity to score points, but against the best teams, it’s about pressure and who can keep momentum. That’s what I find fascinating about Test rugby — especially in the game-managers positions at nine and 10, experience is invaluable.’

The RFU’s decision to hire Borthwick has been seen as a boost to Ford’s prospects, given the way they joined forces to lead Leicester to the title last season.

Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell have overtaken Ford in the fly-half debate – but he can reinstate his claim

They have spoken a few times since Borthwick took charge. Ford has been told: ‘Get back to being fit and firing, then we’ll see how the land lies.’

So does he think he would be able to play in the current Six Nations, despite just one half of rugby for Sale this season? ‘Yeah, of course I do,’ he said. ‘I feel good enough now to go and play.’

During the long months of rehabilitation from his injury, Ford prepared for a future in coaching by providing off-field expertise at his new club.

He also spent eight weeks learning to play tennis in Bolton, but the primary distraction was his burgeoning business in the picturesque village of Uppermill, in the Saddleworth area near Oldham.

George (right) and brother Joe, who coaches at Doncaster, run a cafe called Kobe, named after Joe’s son. ‘He’s four and walks round thinking it’s his shop,’ said Ford. 

‘We opened it in December 2019 and it gave me something to do when I was injured. The only good thing we can do, me and my brother, is make coffees or go on the dishwasher! We’re no good at waitering, taking big orders or anything like that.’

The cafe is packed with lunchtime customers as the interview takes place next door at an Italian restaurant — Sorella — run by Ford’s wife, Atdhetare, who acts as manager and occasional chef.

‘She’s from Kosovo originally,’ he said. ‘She looks foreign, but she’s got an Oldham accent! They came over here when the war happened, having been blown out of their house. She was three. They built their own way up through the restaurant business.’

Part of Ford’s motivation for returning to his roots in the North West was to spend more time with family. But he also liked the look of the project at Sale. The club have launched a campaign called Northern Rugby Matters, to celebrate rugby in the region, and their home-grown recruit is enthused by what he has seen, on and off the field. 

Amid questions over the balance of Farrell and Smith Ford can stake a claim going forwards

He said: ‘I watched Sale and thought, “There’s a really good team there”. They won the title years ago, but there’s potential to become a contender again, which excited me a lot. I did a fair bit of corporate and community stuff while I was injured. Getting out to the local clubs, you realise the amount of kids playing rugby union is massive.’

Sale have excelled during Ford’s absence and are second in the table going into today’s clash with Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens. The visitors will be buoyed by the presence of several returning England players, with Tom Curry also coming back from injury and Manu Tuilagi primed to make a statement after being overlooked by Borthwick.

‘I’ve never seen the England boys come back the way they have, especially Manu and Jonny Hill,’ said Ford. ‘They want to be representing England and it’s disappointing when they are not, so what is the best way to respond? It’s to come back and kill it for Sale. Manu said to me on Monday, “Just give me the ball this week”.’

The mighty centre is desperate to revive his Test career and he is not the only one. Ford is raring to be part of the No 10 selection soap opera again.