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Back in November 2024, English number 10 Ford looked disheartened at Allianz Stadium.

The replacement was brought on from the bench to assist the home side complete a famous win facing the Kiwis, yet failed to convert a late penalty along with a drop-kick while his team fell short in a close contest.

After those expensive errors, the player was required to strive to secure another chance to bring victory to the English team.

His playing time was limited to 25 minutes in the recent Six Nations however a series of excellent displays, notably in the summer matches of Argentina and the United States when the Smith players had departed for British and Irish Lions duty, returned him solidly among starting candidates.

The 32-year-old did more than justify the coach's trust through his selection against the All Blacks, but the Sale Sharks playmaker delivered a player-of-the-match performance to help England to a breakthrough triumph against the All Blacks in their own stadium for the first time since 2012.

The pivotal moment in the game Ford nailed back-to-back drop-goals right before half-time.

This assisted England bounce back from being down 12-0 to narrow the gap to 12-11 when the half ended, before Borthwick's star-studded bench once more performed in the second half to support England to a convincing 33-19 triumph.

"You have to give credit to the experienced players on our squad, especially George," the manager commented. "In that moment where he hit those crucial kicks, he managed the game remarkably well.

"Twelve months ago I thought George came on and played very effectively [facing the Kiwis].

"A kick hit the post and he tried a pressured drop-kick, yet he performed excellently.

"He is a phenomenal leader, an outstanding athlete and an even better person. We are privileged to include him on our team."

Drop-goals 'part of the strategy'

The Kiwis began rapidly in the stadium, racing into a twelve-point advantage with tries by Fainga'anuku and Taylor.

Subsequent to Ollie Lawrence's impressive score, the fly-half's successive drop-goals resulted in the home side bounced into the locker room with psychological advantage.

"The challenging thing in those moments is, when the scoreboard says 12-0, we are able to adhere to our plan and our philosophy the superior method to compete is," Ford said.

"We fought our way back into contention and we knew were we to commence the latter half effectively, as reserves joined, we would be in an advantageous spot.

"Despite having fifteen minutes to go, we were positioned defending our goal line following a card, so we had challenges in that instance too.

"I think that's what elite competition requires - who manages best in those circumstances superiorly."

The two attempts happened within close succession while the number 10 who executed three drop-kicks during a victory against Argentina during the 2023 World Cup, demonstrated his full 104-cap experience.

Ford hit two drop-goals representing Sale in a Prem game played in difficult conditions at Bath - this represents an ability he has mastered thoroughly.

"It [the drop-goals] are consistently planned," Ford continued.

"The coach is such a phenomenal leader that he consistently reminding me, and correctly so because three points prove important during any phase of play."

Ford directed his team superbly throughout the match the complete contest, making smart decisions - for both attacking and defensive purposes and in finding space behind the visitors' backfield.

His signature 'spiral bomb' also bamboozled Beauden Barrett, who failed to regather.

Having started the national team's triumph versus the Wallabies during the autumn series, Ford handed over the fly-half position to Fin Smith against Fiji seven days later.

But the biggest test theoretically this season came against the multiple World Cup winners, and Ford reclaimed his starting role.

The English team, currently enjoying ten consecutive victories, face Argentina this month and it will be interesting to learn if the manager opts to Fin Smith or maintains Ford.

Regardless of the selection, Ford established ahead of the next tournament before the World Cup that significant amounts of play remaining within him.