George Ford believes his Bath clubmate Sam Burgess is ready to play in the World Cup despite making his first appearance in rugby union only nine months ago.
Burgess, who plays in the back row for Bath but is being used in the centre by England, has been fast-tracked by the national side and impressed on his international debut against France at Twickenham last weekend.
The England management will wait until Monday before deciding when to announce their 31 for the World Cup, with the deadline 31 August. The vast majority of the places have been decided, with centre, front row and back row the remaining positions of debate.
“I would have no qualms about Sam playing outside me in the World Cup,” said Ford, who is vying with Owen Farrell for the No10 jersey in the opening match against Fiji. “There are other great 12s in our squad in Brad Barritt and Luther Burrell. What Sam brings is his mentality of giving people energy and taking a game play by play.
“He has the experience of playing in big matches in rugby league and I never had any doubts that he would quickly get up to speed with union when I saw how diligent he was and the work he put in off the field. I thought he played very well against France, carrying the ball well, always keen to be involved and galvanising the team with some big hits.
“If you look closely, one of the best things about him is that he talks constantly to those around him, giving out energy. You can see him going up to people, having a chat and getting them ready for the next play. He loves the physical side of things and sees carrying and tackling as a battle. His timing is good and he is always an option, understanding what we are trying to do in terms of creating space. He lifts a team and his every-time mentality is brilliant.”
Anthony Watson was another Bath player to impress last weekend, scoring two of England’s three tries. “He has taken his preparation off the field to another level,” said Ford. “He has put himself in the right space to perform well and has matured massively.
“His first try against France was reminiscent of Jason Robinson. Henry Slade gave him a good pass, but there was still a lot of work for Ant to do and he left an international full-back for dead. It was a special finish and I hope we see a lot more of that.”
