Eddie is told: England need to keep faith with Cipriani
EDDIE JONES would be mad not to pick Danny Cipriani for England again despite last week’s conviction for common assault, according to the troubled star’s club coach. The 30-year-old fly-half will meet Gloucester chiefs today and once their review has been completed, he will be up against an RFU disciplinary panel. But Gloucester head coach Johan Ackermann said: ‘There’s no doubt in my mind I would select him (for England) if he plays the rugby we all know he can play. ‘For me, the incident was such that if I was the England coach it wouldn’t bother me. ‘He apologised, there was nobody really physically abused so for me it’s a no-brainer. If he’s the in-form 10 I would select him.’ Jones will have full discretion to select Cipriani, if he is available. Sportsmail understands there will be no pressure from Twickenham for the Australian not to pick the Gloucester fly-half. But there is suspicion at Gloucester, which chief executive Stephen Vaughan voiced in a statement on Friday, that Cipriani is being unfairly targeted and singled out in a way that other players would not be. Vaughan will be part of today’s discussions with Cipriani, alongside director of rugby David Humphreys and chairman Martin St Quinton. They are unlikely to suspend their new signing, which may force the RFU to act. It is understood that after Gloucester have concluded their review, Cipriani will meet a panel of three or four independent lawyers who will decide whether he is in breach of ‘conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game’. Ackermann echoed Vaughan’s fears, saying: ‘I hope they do what they would have done with any other player and it is not one player getting tagged. What if it was an academy boy? Would he still get this? He is still a rugby player. ‘For me there is no division between a young player and a senior player, everybody has to fall under the same values and discipline. Hopefully we can sit around the table and the truth comes out.’ The next England squad announcement is on September 20 but that is just for a mini-camp. The group for the autumn series against South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia will be picked some weeks later.