Jeremy Guscott: Now it’s down to George to pull this show together

George Ford will feel a bit like the street magician ‘Dynamo’ when he looks at his Leicester backline options before selecting which trick to bring out of the magic box.
It could be sending Manu Tuilagi crashing over the gain line, or picking from an assortment of other receivers. These include using Matt Toomua as a second play-maker, or putting Jonny May or Telusa Veainu through gaps into open space.
With the array of international backline talent the Tigers have assembled this season, the challenge for Ford is picking the right option and then executing it with precision.
His ability to meet those requirements is why, with the England fly-half back at the helm for Leicester, you have to take them seriously.
At his best, Ford is the finest attacking fly-half in the Northern Hemisphere. He is a student of the game who can put theory into practical motion. At Bath he had a lot of options with the power of Matt Banahan and Semesa Rokoduguni, and the rapier running of Anthony Watson and Jonathan Joseph – but this star-studded Tigers backline offers him even more choice.
He knows scrum-half Ben Youngs very well already as part of an established England partnership, and also from his earlier stint with Leicester. That understanding means that the half-back gears should mesh smoothly from the start.
However, for this Tigers backline to come together his linking with Toomua, who will probably be at 12 as a second distributor, will be crucial. The combination of English and Aussie minds in terms of how to run the game will be exciting, especially as Toomua has also played a fair amount at fly-half.
The multi-talented Aussie spent most of last season on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury sustained soon after joining Leicester, but having seen Ford in action at international level he should be relishing the prospect of forging a partnership with him.
From this distance a midfield triangle of Ford, Toomua and Tuilagi has everything that you would want, with the exception of real pace at outside-centre – but that can be offset by how the Tigers use their back three.
With England wing May’s move to Welford Road confirmed last week and Veainu already in place, they have a couple of hot rods who can burn rubber on the counter-attack.
Veainu is one of the most elusive backs in the Premiership, and the Tongan full-back’s feet are so fast and changes of direction so quick that he makes moves that even TV cameramen cannot read. Then there’s May…
If I was in Jonny May’s shoes I would be looking for an even bigger point of difference than sheer pace, and his focus should be on his high ball work. You do not have May’s pace without having power – and that also means he has the ability and agility to jump high.
From what I’ve seen May needs to make some adjustments, mainly around his timing when he goes up for the high ball. He should train specifically to improve that part of his game, because if he did become a threat in that area it would add a different dimension to his game.
At the moment other teams will think they can attack May when he is under the high ball, because he is not as strong or competent as, say, Jordie Barrett who we saw with Kiwi sides like the Hurricanes during the Lions tour.
Back three players in the Premiership – and for England – are not so accomplished in those areas, and it could be a huge weapon for May given his height, pace and power. It could also help him to challenge the established England wing order of Jack Nowell and Watson.
I am not going to get into Tuilagi’s early dismissal from the England training camp last weekend. What happened between him, Denny Solomona and Eddie Jones will come out over time, but for the moment apart from what’s been released by the RFU it is between them.
Tuilagi is still a young man with a huge amount of potential, and he’s keen to get back to the top of his game. I feel for Manu. I had the same groin injury, and I understand the frustration. Each time it tore it took me eight months to get back – and I did not have his amount of muscle and power, and therefore I did not have the same likelihood of the injury recurring.
I’m not that interested in what Tuilagi’s done off the field, but I am still very keen to see what he can do on it for Leicester – and, hopefully, for England again.
Initially, I would expect Ford and Toomua to keep it simple by bringing Tuilagi onto the ball hard and fast because his forte is being direct rather than throwing 20 yard passes. So, to start with, he isn’t linking with anyone.
Ben Youngs has blown hot and cold for England, but since he got himself in shape he has the potential to be world class. Let’s hope that he’s now got to the point where he can go out and express himself.
Welford Road is a wonderful place to play, and he has replicated what his dad did at Leicester, and more. Youngs has the opportunity to become a Tigers legend, but to do that the requirement for the remainder of his career is to be consistently good even when the rest of the team is not.
I am not sure how strong the Tigers pack will be, but it is not the juggernaut that it was – and until it is, they will struggle to beat the likes of Saracens and Exeter.
However, a backline of Youngs, Ford, Toomua, Tuilagi, May and Veainu equals tries, which equals wins – which equals possible Premiership champions.