Former England fly-half Stuart Barnes insists that Steve Borthwick should not axe George Ford until he has seen him alongside a different midfield combination.<\/p>\n
The playmaker endured a shocking after at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham last weekend when Borthwick\u2019s team went down 42-21 to Ireland.<\/p>\n
Andy Farrell\u2019s men were irrepressible in London, embarrassing the Englishmen on their own patch, but Barnes reckons that it could prove beneficial for the Red Rose<\/a> boss in the long-term.<\/p>\n That is providing he brings in Seb Atkinson and Max Ojomoh alongside Ford, according to the 63-year-old.<\/p>\n Excellent international performances<\/p>\n Both impressed against Argentina at different times last year, with the former starring in the mid-year series in July and the latter producing a man-of-the-match performance in November.<\/p>\n Atkinson is considered a big ball carrier with deft skills, as Barnes compared him to Stuart McCloskey, who was utterly magnificent for Ireland<\/a> at Twickenham.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the short term, McCloskey did a great deal of damage to Steve Borthwick\u2019s team, but if England learn the agonising lessons from last Saturday, they could yet be sending a metaphorical thank-you note to the long-striding Irish centre,\u201d he wrote in his Times<\/a> column.<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge Ford faced the flak. There\u2019s no point pretending it was his finest day, what with those headline missed kicks to the corner. But whereas his opposite number, Jack Crowley, was able to intelligently mix the Irish attack throughout the match, Ford\u2019s options were limited.\u201d<\/p>\n Barnes would therefore keep Ford in situ and replace Fraser Dingwall, who has started all three Six Nations<\/a> games so far.<\/p>\n \u201cDingwall lacks the power at international level to punch holes in the gainline. For all the talk of \u2018pods\u2019 in attack, a well-timed pass to someone like McCloskey generates all-important front-foot ball,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cFord has neither the bulk nor the pace to carry the line himself. But he has the skill to pass as well as he kicks.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is if he has the right option outside him. An English McCloskey. The odds are that Borthwick will bow to the general public pressure and select Fin Smith at No10.\u201d<\/p>\n