George Ford goes into tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations Championship game at Twickenham facing another diminutive young No 10 who is looking to prove that it is still possible to make a mark in a big man’s world.
Finn Russell, the Scotland fly half, is half a year older than Ford, and equally fresh to the senior game. Ford rates him highly, especially after seeing the way Russell ran the game for Glasgow Warriors when they gave Bath a scare in the European Champions Cup in January.
“He’s a very good player,” Ford said. “Very competitive, attacks the line pretty well. He marshals his team very well, he’s a very good goalkicker and kicker out of hand. I think he’s adding an attacking dimension to the Scotland team and the Glasgow team, and the times I’ve played against him I’ve been very impressed.”
Ford, meanwhile, is keen to show his playmaker’s vision at Twickenham tomorrow, but warns against anyone getting their hopes up.
“People always like to score tries,” he said. “They are more exciting. But in international rugby they are difficult to get.
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“It’s about small margins, little things, your kicking being on the money, your set piece and breakdown being strong. The fancy things come off if the foundations are in place.”