AFTER

Danny Cipriani’s poor behaviour in Jersey, nobody was harder on him than Sir Clive Woodward. Why? Because nobody had campaigned as passionately for his inclusion by england. Sir Clive probably felt more let down than england coach eddie Jones, or even Cipriani’s new club, Gloucester. this is why it is nonsense for James Haskell to claim that people ‘love to hate’ Cipriani. ‘We live in a world of stitch-up, we live in a world where everyone’s a paparazzo and you’ve got to be whiter than white,’ claimed Haskell. Well, yes and no. the proliferation of camera phones is an invasion of privacy but, equally, there are thousands of famous sports people who contrive to go out every week without it becoming front-page news. Cipriani did not get in trouble because he was framed in some opportunist’s photo library — but because he ended up in a cell, and in a dock the following morning, and was found guilty. meaning observers like Sir Clive Woodward were not harsh because they enjoy hating Cipriani, but because they supported him, advocated for him, and were entitled to expect a better return. Just as the RFU were no doubt disappointed when Cipriani arrived for his hearing shabbysmart, in an outfit that was plainly intended to scream ‘get stuffed’ — thank Gloucester for that, by the way — but came off more like Kevin the teenager, rebelling on being asked to dress appropriately for parents’ evening. either way, Cipriani isn’t the victim here.