George Ford's Sky-High Spiral Kick
A new tactical dimension in kicking has emerged in rugby
Rugby has ditched its recent safety-first tactics for a new strategy
If Bill McLaren were still with us, he'd have loved George Ford's high-flying 'spiral bombs'. On a chilly Murrayfield on Saturday, the old commentary box staple - 'It's a real scorcher' - could have been replaced with something like 'It's a real snowball' as Ford's kicks soared into orbit.
His 'aerial bazooka' kick has become a trademark, with the familiar sound of anticipation now echoing around the ground as he takes up position, carefully cradling the ball in his hand to achieve optimum height and spin. Then - thwack! - the ball shoots off like a meteor, leaving the last-ditch tackler grasping at thin air. A devilish kick, if you will.