Ford Urges England to Face Scotland with Confidence Despite Feyi-Waboso Injury
George Ford has emphatically called for England to head to Edinburgh with their chests puffed out, despite the likely loss of wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for the remainder of the Six Nations championship. Ford delivered another masterclass performance at fly-half as Steve Borthwick's side hammered a woeful Wales 48-7, a victory achieved without the injured Feyi-Waboso.
Injury Blow for England's Campaign
The Exeter flyer was a late withdrawal from the Wales match due to a hamstring injury, which has proven more serious than initially feared. This development means Feyi-Waboso is unlikely to feature for the rest of the campaign, dealing a significant blow to England's squad depth. England will face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, riding a run of 12 straight wins without Feyi-Waboso in their extended squad.
We've got to definitely use it, said Ford, looking ahead to confronting a Scotland team in crisis following their defeat by Italy. It's such a positive thing, why wouldn't we use it? A lot of the time in England we get told to temper it, but let's use it. We feel like we're a good team. We feel like there's improvement. Let's back ourselves and keep going for it.
Focus on Imposing Their Game
Ford emphasized the importance of the upcoming clash, stating, England going to Murrayfield – it always seems like a really big occasion. We want to turn up there next Saturday and be fully locked and loaded to go and impose our game on them. He added, Let's understand the opposition and potentially what they can bring, but let's be so good that we just go and impose our game on them all the time.
Reinforcements and Recovery Updates
While Feyi-Waboso is sidelined, England should welcome further reinforcements for the Scotland match. Backs Ollie Lawrence and Fin Smith, who did not face Wales, are expected to be available. Additionally, George Furbank and Billy Sela are continuing their recovery from injuries, potentially bolstering the squad's options.
Borthwick also had to manage key prop and vice-captain Ellis Genge through the team's Championship opener. Genge was replaced at half-time against Wales but is anticipated to be fit for the Scotland encounter. He did really well to be fit to start and play, Borthwick noted. We thought the right thing to do was to play him 40 minutes and take him off then. He came off absolutely fine. It was more of a precautionary change than anything else.
Borthwick's Perspective on Injuries
Reflecting on Feyi-Waboso's injury, Borthwick confirmed, He will be out for a number of weeks. I don't know how many weeks. We've got a specialist opinion. It's disappointing. But that's unfortunately the nature of elite sport. There are injuries and then you have to adapt. This pragmatic approach underscores the challenges teams face in maintaining momentum amidst squad disruptions.
As England prepares for the high-stakes Murrayfield showdown, Ford's call for confidence and self-belief resonates strongly, aiming to propel the team forward despite the setback of losing a key player like Feyi-Waboso.
