Starter's orders for Leicester Tigers' teen ace George Ford

Teenager George Ford will start at fly-half for Leicester Tigers against Northampton on Saturday with a ringing endorsement from Richard Cockerill.

The 19-year-old has played second-fiddle to Toby Flood this season, but he is set for a long run of games while his elder team-mate is on England duty.

Ford is out of contract next summer and, while the No.10 has been warming the bench, director of rugby Cockerill has been forced to field questions most weeks on his young star's future at the club.

But not only does Cockerill insist Ford is comfortable with his situation this season, he is hopeful that the England Under-20s skipper will remain at Welford Road until well into his '30s.

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"George Ford will start at fly-half on Saturday," said Cockerill.

"And out of the whole George Ford scenario, George Ford is the most sensible person in it.

"He understands where he is in his development curve.

"Last season, he started 11 games for the first team, he played in two semi-finals and two finals.

"Everyone is telling me he must play or he will leave.

"Well, George played lots of rugby last season and he will do the same this year.

"He is a great rugby player with a very mature head on his shoulders.

"Him, his management and his agent all get that, and George understands where he is at.

"We want him to stay here for a long time, along with Toby Flood, and that is something we have managed well with Dan Cole and Martin Castrogiovanni.

"Of course, George needs to play but you have to trust the club and how we have developed players in the past.

"He is 19. I want him to be really good at 21, and 22, and 25, and 28 and 35.

"We have seen plenty of examples of people who haven't developed well at other clubs.

"Of course there will be offers for him, but is that (moving) the right thing to do?"

Cockerill added: "Everyone told me that Ben Youngs had to be played, but I held him back until the right time. When he took off, he was one of the best scrum-halves in the world within 12 months.

"Dan Cole had a lot of offers for a lot of money from lots of clubs when he was 21 and 22.

"But all that glitters isn't gold. He decided to stay and look where he is now.

"Cole made the decision to stay here and fight for his spot because he knew that, when he was first choice, that would make him one of the best players in the world in his position. It's the same with George and Toby Flood.

"Toby has 50 caps for England and people tend to forget that I have to manage him as well.

"It's going to be hard to manage, but we will do our best.

"George will play against the Maori and London Irish and Wasps and, when Toby comes back from England duty, we will see where we are at.

"People have to trust our system."