Lions' big miss: The case for George Ford

Ahead of the Premiership semi-finals, former Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika revealed on the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast that he was dumbfounded that George Ford wasn't named in the Lions squad.

Elliot Daly's injury opened up the door for a replacement but Ford, perhaps the greatest Test player to never go on a Lions tour, was once again ignored by Lions selectors as Owen Farrell was called up.

Lions boss Andy Farrell said his son's ability to play 12 as well as fly-half was a key reason for his controversial summoning. When Daly went down it made more sense for a like for like, Swiss Army knife back to go Down Under like Tom Jordan but instead Farrell's experience proved the difference maker.

If Ford was to be called up, you would think it would have to have been in the original squad with his only opportunity now if one of the two out and out 10s Finn Russell or Fin Smith goes down injured.

Ford reads the game like a chess grandmaster

While, the Lions have been showcasing an expansive game during the warm up matches, Test matches and therefore series are won through game management and it's highly likely Andy Farrell's side won't be chucking the ball around sevens style once the Test series kicks off.

Control, territory and decision-making. That is the England centurion's bread and butter. While Russell brings creativity and Marcus Smith offers pace and unpredictability, neither controls a game the way Ford can. His ability to manipulate defences with his kicking game, set tempo from deep, and manage territory could prove priceless in tight Tests, especially against an aggressive Wallaby defence.

Fin Smith is the closest in style to Ford on the tour but the 23-year-old's shaky display against the Waratahs last weekend perhaps showed he's not quite there just yet to be a Test match animal.

The standout Premiership fly-half

Ford was named at No.?10 in the 2024-25 Premiership Team of the Season, beating the two Smiths to the jersey, and was awarded the league's Player of the Month for April.

In an era where tactics and territory often decide series, Ford would have added a dimension that no other fly-half in the squad quite offers.