Fords driven to make sure the family business runs successfully

For George to play for England, he needs to displace Owen Farrell, whose father, Andy, is an England coach, at which point this all begins to sound like a television drama. In real life, though, when it comes to team selection, Andy Farrell says that he genuinely sees Owen as a rugby player and not his son. Mike Ford is a bit more heart on sleeve, which is fine but also interesting.

In pre-season at Bath, to use last season’s disappointment as motivation, every player has been asked to stand in front of the squad and make a pledge: what can you commit that was lacking in the last campaign to get the team one more point? Each pledge has been filmed for future viewing.

The pledge by François Louw, the flanker, before he disappeared on South Africa duty, was “unbelievable, inspiring”, according to Mike Ford. “Ultimately he wants to be more selfish,” the head coach says. “He wants to be the best open-side in the world, and so by being selfish and demanding the best out of me and all the staff, he’ll repay it by being the best player he can be at the weekend.”

No pre-season pledge was required for George Ford to go through the process of self-analysis, and in this respect he is something of a gift for a coach. His statistics speak for themselves. Aged 21, he had made 40 appearances for Leicester (253 points) with two more on loan to Leeds in 2012 (five points) before playing 27 matches for Bath last season, scoring 323 points. He made his first two appearances for England as a replacement in the RBS Six Nations Championship last year, but was denied his big international opportunity when his troublesome shoulder prevented him from touring New Zealand in the summer.

Instead of announcing his challenge to Farrell’s position, he saw Freddie Burns and Danny Cipriani do so instead.

Ford was suffering from shoulder subluxation; partial dislocations of which he was starting to get two or three a game. Medical consensus was that he required surgery. It was while Burns and Cipriani were making hay in New Zealand and he was back home recovering from his operation that he opened his laptop and started to write his plan for how he was going to be better this year: what he had learnt, the points where he could improve, “something I could look at to get that one step ahead of where I was”.

No father would want anything but fulfilment in this for their son, which is where it could be complicated. “Last year, when we were looking to sign George, I sought advice from everyone, especially from my wife,” Ford says. “We talked about all the challenges. The criticism. Nepotism. I talked to the other coaches. I talked to the owner [Bruce Craig].

“The fact that George played so well last year and has the respect of the squad made my job that much easier — there were never any questions about not picking him. The challenge will come when he is not playing well and I do pick him. Am I seeing the wood for the trees?”

To this end, he has empowered his fellow coaches to intervene. “They need to set me straight. They need to say, ‘Listen, Mike, you need to do this.’ ”

Ford looks at Andy Farrell’s situation without envy. “The pressure there and the potential for criticism is tenfold of mine,” he says.

If he is not careful, he says, the work relationship can take over. “The one thing I will say that it’s done is, I see George every day, but you don’t talk father-son stuff with him as much. It’s all rugby, tactics.”

George does not live with his parents. “You go home, he’s shattered, I’m shattered,” Ford says. “You come back to work the next day and it’s rugby again. The challenge for our relationship is for me to be his dad still and talk about the dad things that he still needs. He’s got a new girlfriend; I didn’t even know until his brother snitched.”

Today, for sure, rugby will be dominating the agenda. Bath are away to Sale Sharks, a tough opener that brings with it the additional interest of Ford lining up in the fly-half channel opposite Cipriani.

If young Ford can follow his own improvement plan, fans will see him running more support lines and hear him more as the energy and voice of the team. He will be more composed and will kick better when the pressure comes on. That, at least, is what it says on his laptop.

His father’s vision is certainly one of confidence. “If we put our best XV on the field, I think we can beat anybody regularly,” he says. “We can improve markedly again. I think we’ve only just scratched the surface with this team, I really do.”

If he is right, it will be a considerable family show.

Where they went next

After the 2011 World Cup, the England team were perceived to be a shambles and the coaching team were discredited. However, those coaches are almost all back at the top of the game.

Mike Ford Promoted to director of rugby of Bath last season.

John Wells Went to work at Newcastle Falcons under Dean Richards on a short-term contract and never left; is now head coach.

Brian Smith Rejoined London Irish five months after the World Cup as director of rugby, a role he had held before joining the England set-up.

Graham Rowntree The only senior coach to remain on England’s books.

Martin Johnson Still considering his options and doing lots of miles on his bicycle.

Guide to the weekend’s Aviva Premiership action

Today

Sale Sharks v Bath
AJ Bell Stadium, 2pm

Nathan Hines, Chris Cusiter and Luke McLean all make their first league appearances for Sale Sharks, while Magnus Lund is on the bench and in line for his second debut, having left the club in 2008. Danny Cipriani makes his 100th Premiership appearance. Bath have handed a debut to Luke Arscott at full back. Henry Thomas, the England prop who left Sale at the end of last season, is on the bench against his old club.

Saracens v Wasps
Twickenham, 2pm, live on BT Sport 1

Will Fraser, the flanker who has had a wretched injury record, makes a return to action for Saracens. Kieran Longbottom makes his debut at tighthead prop, while Charlie Hodgson is at fly half. Wasps include four summer signings in the starting line-up: Rob Miller, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Lorenzo Cittadini and James Gaskell. Christian Wade is fit to start on the wing after an ankle injury.

Leicester v Newcastle Falcons
Welford Road, 3pm

Freddie Burns makes his Leicester debut alongside Seremaia Bai, who will partner Manu Tuilagi in the centre. Leonardo Ghiraldini, the Italy hooker, makes his club bow while Tom Croft is back at blindside flanker and hoping to stay out of the physio’s room this season. Alesana Tuilagi, the Samoa wing, will make his return to Welford Road on the bench for Newcastle Falcons, who will parade two exciting new signings in Juan Pablo Socino, the inside centre, and Josh Furno, the Italy lock forward.

London Irish v Harlequins
Twickenham, 4.30pm, live on BT Sport 1

London Irish include five summer signings for the derby game, including Tom Guest, the former Harlequins loose forward, and Tom Court, the Ireland prop. Halani Aulika and Tom Homer, right, are also back from long-term injuries.

Marland Yarde, the England wing, makes his Harlequins debut against the club he left in May. With Chris Robshaw back among the rank and file this season, Quins are captained by Joe Marler, who is joined in the front row by fellow England summer tourists Joe Gray and Kyle Sinckler.

Tomorrow

London Welsh v Exeter Chiefs,
Kassam Stadium, 2pm, live on BT Sport 1

The exiles are barely recognisable from the team who defeated Bristol to win promotion. There will be nine newcomers in the team to host Exeter Chiefs, including six in the pack. Piri Weepu and Olly Barkley will form a new half-back combination. The Chiefs are struggling with injuries but have given Thomas Waldrom a debut at No 8 with Moray Low, the prop, to come off the bench.