From pariah to pole position, it is a remarkable turnaround. A year ago,
Cipriani was in AE in Leeds after colliding with a bus during a
pub-crawl stag night.
In a fortnight he will have to contend with yet more alarmingly large,
fast-moving traffic heading his way.
He will need more than a fancy-dress outfit and a few shots to contend with
Ma’a Nonu, the New Zealand centre who is more juggernaut than trolley bus.
Cipriani might end up with cuts and bruises again, although the 26-year-old
would willingly contribute that to the cause if England were to give him the
nod.
Defence is not the strongest aspect of Cipriani’s game but his resolve has
hardened, as has his technique.
Cipriani has earned his England reprieve through his own fine endeavours for
Sale, helping the Cheshire club to a qualify for Europe in sixth position,
as well as through the rotten luck that has deprived Stuart Lancaster of
three fly-halves for the series opener at Eden Park – Farrell, of Saracens,
and Northampton’s Stephen Myler, both of whom are involved in the Aviva
Premiership final on May 31, and now Ford. Farrell and Myler will be
available for the two remaining Tests.
There is a long-shot permutation that might see Billy Twelvetrees, the
Gloucester centre, switch infield to No10, a position he has filled with
aplomb this season for his club after Burns’s form tailed off badly.
Twelvetrees, though, is battling to overcome an ankle injury to make the plane
that departs for New Zealand next Tuesday.
Burns is far more familiar with the England playbook than Cipriani is, in
attack as well as in defence. That may well be the tipping point, although
there is little doubt that Cipriani has been in better fettle.
Lancaster shrugged off the suggestion last week that including Cipriani in the
initial 20-man training squad was a gamble.
“It is not a risk, it is an opportunity,†said Lancaster, who has had lengthy
experience of Cipriani from his days as head coach of England’s
second-string, the Saxons.
There is no doubt that Cipriani has knuckled down, that he is more in the
groove than once he was.
He was a maverick, on and off the field, and drove Martin Johnson, the former
England manager, to despair.
Cipriani admits that he had to grow up and that maturity has been reflected in
his game.
Certainly, Steve Diamond, the Sale director of rugby, is not one to tolerate
gadflies. Lancaster has set great store on Diamond’s appraisal of his man
Cipriani has trained well with England over the past few days and is all too
aware that his every move is being monitored.
Even Lancaster admitted that the one-to-one talks he has with players might be
“a bit longer†with Cipriani than with anyone else.
Lancaster is without 24 players for the first Test through injury,
unavailability and fitness and rehabilitation issues.
It is terrible misfortune for Ford, who won his first caps from the bench
during the Six
Nations and has been in terrific form for his club, scoring a
wonderful 45-metre solo try against Harlequins only to end up not only on
the losing side but also with a troublesome shoulder.
He might, at a push, have deferred the operation until after the first Test
but it would have been remiss of England to have played fast and loose with
a player’s long-term health. They have made the right decision.
Lancaster still has to endure three more matches – two European finals and the
play-off before the advance party fly out.
The England head coach ought to be able to prepare with relish for such a
historic trip (England have never played a three-Test series in New
Zealand).
Instead, he has the worry beads at his side night and day.
Danny’s highs and lows
Feb 2008: Makes England debut
March 2008: Pictured leaving a nightclub, dropped by England
May 2008: Breaks ankle
Sept 2008: Dates model Kelly Brook, media interest in him intensifies
Oct 2008: Involved in alleged bust-up with team-mate Josh Lewsey
2009: Ignored by England as commitment is questioned
Jan 2011: Joins Melbourne Rebels after splitting with Brook
Sept 2012: Makes debut for Sale
April 2013: Hit by a bus while on a pub crawl in Leeds
May 2014: Recalled by England after his 193-point season for Sale
England suffer fresh blow before New Zealand tour with George Ford ruled out ...
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