IT’S BAD FORM, EDDIE
EDDIE JONES has been blasted for claiming he axed Danny Cipriani from the England squad for rugby reasons. Jones (inset) insists Cipriani’s recent conviction for assault had nothing to do with his omission from his 36-man squad. Instead, he pointed to the Gloucester star’s sparkling club form to justify his controversial exclusion yesterday. Lions legend Brian O’Driscoll said: “This call beggars belief if you’re to believe it’s ‘based on form’. “Eddie owning headlines these days – some his doing, some not!”
The fly-half played a match-winning role in England’s last outing against South Africa in June on what was his first Test start for a decade. He then started the new season in fine form for new club Gloucester. The one blot on his copybook was last month’s arrest in Jersey. But his World Cup dream now hangs by a thread after a bizarre dumping. George Ford, who had been dropped for Cipriani, is back in the fold.
Jones said: “Danny is probably third or fourth [choice]. (Jersey) had no bearing on this selection. If Danny is a better player than Owen Farrell and George, he can certainly promote himself ahead of them. “From what I’ve seen at the moment, he is not, in terms of the whole context of the team.” Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi, who has not played for England since
2016, is included for next week’s training camp. Winger Chris Ashton, who is serving a seven-week ban and suspended for Sale until mid-October, is also named. Jones will announce his squad on October
18 for the November internationals.