George Ford commits future to Sale Sharks with new three-year contract
Sale have locked down the England fly-half until 2029
©Sale Sharks
England fly-half George Ford has put pen to paper on a new three-year deal with Sale Sharks, extending his stay with the Gallagher Prem side.
The 32-year-old, who joined from Leicester Tigers ahead of the 2022/23 season, continues to be a standout performer for the Sharks.
Ford has to be considered as a key figure on the international stage, having earned 102 caps for England since his debut in 2014. He also took on a leadership role as co-captain during last summer’s tour of Argentina and the USA.
“With the players and the coaches that we have here [at Sale], I feel like I can still improve and be challenged as a player,” said Ford.
“I feel the best place for me to do that is right here.”
Although some felt he was unfortunate to miss out on selection for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in the summer, Ford's absence gave him the chance to reach a major milestone, earning his 100th England cap in a win over Argentina in La Plata.
The fly-half has, unsurprisingly, picked up from where he left off last year and will be hoping to feature in Steve Borthwick’s England squad for the upcoming autumn internationals.
“I want to keep playing well for Sale Sharks and I want to keep influencing the team as much as I can,” said Ford. “That comes first.
“I love playing for my country but I know that I only get that opportunity if I'm playing consistently well for Sale. So that's my focus.”
Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said: “George is in the form of his life and he’s a player we’ve built a team around. He’s the sort of player who attracts top quality players to want to play for the club because they all want to learn from him.
“He’s one of the first people I speak to post-game and confide in ahead of the challenge of responding to a win or a loss, because of the way he sees the game. As much as he inspires the players, he inspires the coaches too.
“This shows the vision and the ambition of a club that’s wanting to lay down a real foundation for the future. It shows what we’re all about.
“George could have his pick of any club in the world and he chooses Sale Sharks and that’s big testament to us and what we’re building.”
