Jones gives Cipriani a lifeline

FLY-HALF Danny Cipriani will attempt to spark some life into an ailing England after earning his first test start since 2008 for the third and final test against South Africa at Newlands tomorrow. George Ford has been Eddie Jones’ preferred fly-half, but with the series already lost the England coach has thrown a lifeline to Cipriani, who made a bright 13-minute appearance off the bench in last week’s 2312 defeat in Bloemfontein. That was his 15th cap, and first in three years. ‘He sees space. Opportunities are going to be limited at the weekend and he may be able to take some of those opportunities for us,’ Jones said yesterday. Cipriani will be seeking to unpick a South Africa backline sporting no fewer than four changes, which include the introduction of Elton Jantjies at fly-half. Warrick Gelant replaces Willie le Roux at full-back, and South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus said of Le Roux: ‘Willie played with Cipriani in England and he will tell you he’s learned so much from him, in terms of his running lines and picking the right options really late,’ Erasmus said. ‘So our backline will be tested, although it depends if the weather allows (Cipriani) to play that way.’

SOUTH AFRICA: W Gelant, S Nkosi, J Kriel, A Esterhuizen, A Dyantyi, E Jantjies, F de Klerk; D Vermeulen, PS du Toit, S Kolisi (captain), F Mostert, RG Snyman, F Malherbe, C Ralepelle, T Mtawarira. Reps: S Brits, S Kitshoff, T du Toit, JL du Preez, S Notshe, E Papier, H Pollard, W le Roux.

ENGLAND: E Daly, J May, H Slade, O Farrell (captain), M Brown, D Cipriani, B Youngs; N Hughes, T Curry, C Robshaw, M Itoje, J Launchbury, K Sinckler, J George, J Marler.

Reps: L Cowan-Dickie, A Hepburn, H Williams, J Hill, M Wilson, S Simmonds, B Spencer, D Solomona.