Warriors live up to name
ROUND one of the Gallagher Premiership this weekend means round one of Danny Cipriani versus George Ford, a head-to-head set to run all the way through to the World Cup.
Technically Cipriani, who makes his Gloucester debut against Northampton this afternoon, is the man in possession of the England No10 jersey having worn it in the third Test against the Springboks in June.
In reality Ford, who runs out for Leicester at Exeter later today, remains Eddie Jones’ first choice but, in setting up Jonny May for the try which ended England’s losing sequence at a sodden Cape Town, Cipriani underlined to a reluctant head coach that he is not going away.
The rebel will fight the company man all the way to Japan. Cipriani is an outsider in the England setup. He can be a liability off the pitch – case for the prosecution an assault conviction on the Gloucester pre-season tour to Jersey – but he proved last season for Wasps he is undeniably a force for good on it.
“Danny is driven and wants to play in the World Cup next year and be successful at Gloucester,” said the Cherry and Whites’ head coach Johan Ackermann. “Last season, he was definitely the Premiership’s in-form fly-half. Ford and Owen Farrell have lots of ability but Danny brought so much to Wasps.
“We were surprised he was available and to start with it was a tongue in cheek thing for us – let’s see if he wants to come. But he heard my vision and how we want to do things and saw some similarities and made the call.
“He can pick and choose where he goes so it’s good that he feels Gloucester is a place where he can express himself.”
The showman has his ideal showcase with the expansive way Ackermann wants Gloucester to play. Quite how his new teammates will take to Cipriani is another question. Josh Lewsey once knocked him out in training in his early days at Wasps and at 30 he has hardly matured into a diplomat. Kyle Eastmond, who played with him last season and MARKED MAN: Leicester’s Ford is the player he must dislodge NOTHING hurts more than a derby day humiliation on your own turf.
Saints would have wrapped up the League Leaders’ Shield with victory last night but second-placed Wigan showed their mettle for a comfortable win.
Shaun Wane’s aptly-named Warriors, overflowing with the kind of desire and aggression that their head coach demands in these fixtures, narrowed the gap on Saints to six points with four rounds of the Super 8s to go.
Overhauling their sworn enemies will almost certainly prove beyond Wigan, but St Helens are wobbling alarmingly. Ben Barba again looked like his mind was elsewhere.
ST HELENS
Wigan took advantage as they steamrollered their way into a 14-4 interval lead with a clinical double from Dan Sarginson. John Bateman, who should thrive in the NRL when he joins Canberra Raiders next season, showed impressive strength to claim a third Wigan try.
Tommy Makinson touched down for Saints either side of half-time.
But Tom Davies, Oliver Gildart and Sean O’Loughlin added further Wigan tries as the visitors served ominous notice of their title pedigree.