George Ford was on a losing team last week. His Bath side were bullied, bossed and beaten up by Leicester. Ford himself was miles from error free. But even so, in this mistake-filled performance, he still managed to do something extraordinary. Throughout the 80 minutes, with miscues alongside the magic and mastery, George managed to employ a dazzling variety of kicks. The kid was at times dazzlingly good, a template for the modern No 10.

A few years back, a No 10 would need a Garryowen, a grubber and not much else. Today, they need a Swiss Army knife of options. Ford used 11 different kicks for Bath, if you include the ones off the tee, and while many critics will say he was too dependent on the boot, it is a skill that the modern game needs in these days of tight defence. Done well it is deadly, and Ford will be looking to put them all to good use again against Gloucester on Saturday.