Cipriani puts hand up for England recall with stand-out showing

GLOUCESTER head coach Johan Ackermann has described Danny Cipriani as “a driven person” after he played a pivotal role in their Champions Cup victory over Castres.

Cipriani (right) kicked 14 points and did not miss a shot at goal as Gloucester became the first English club to win in the competition this season.

It was also just four days before England coach Eddie Jones – among a Kingsholm crowd of just under 10,000 – announces his squad for next month’s Twickenham games with South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia.

Cipriani was left out of the latest England training group last month and whether Jones feels he has done enough to earn a recall will soon become clear.

“I thought Danny was good,” Gloucester head coach Ackermann said, following the 19-14 win.

“Previously, how I explained it, when you start building a team you build relationships.

“When you are fortunate to have a team with four top players in a position and you have two guys in the seat, you have to ask the question ‘what will the third guy bring differently?’

“Eddie has made up his mind that in Owen (Farrell) and (George) Ford he has guys that play the way he wants to play, and then only when he needs Danny will he bring him in. “To be fair, I would have to work with those two before I can really see the main reasons why he selects them.”

Cipriani’s points apart, scrumhalf Callum Braley scored a first-half try for Gloucester, with their timely success following European defeats for Wasps, Bath and Leicester, while Premiership leaders Exeter were held 10-10 at home by Munster.

Wing Martin Laveau scored a try and fly-half Julien Dumora booted two penalties and a drop-goal for French champions Castres, yet their miserable European away record now reads just four wins from 41 starts.