CIPRIANI DESPERATE TO KEEP THE JERSEY
CHRIS FOY
DANNY CIPRIANI insisted he never gave up hope of wearing the No 10 jersey for England again after being named in the team for tomorrow’s third Test against South Africa. The 30-year-old fly-half will start a Test for his country for the first time since 2008 but, rather than treat the occasion as a culmination of his personal quest, he has already shifted focus. Having forced his way into Eddie Jones’ plans, leading to yesterday’s promotion at the expense of George Ford, he has his sights on next year’s World Cup. Asked if he feared this day would never come, Cipriani replied: ‘No, I didn’t.’ As for his future, he added: ‘I want to be in this England team for as long as I possibly can.’ Cipriani is poised to win only his 16th Test cap but he has come to terms with how his fractured international career has unfolded. ‘I wouldn’t be here now if things hadn’t happened in the last X years,’ he said. ‘Maybe I’d have had more caps, who knows? But now I am here, I’ve got an opportunity to represent my country. ‘I persevered and made sure I did everything I possibly could to get back into the squad. Now I have to make sure I take it with both hands and play to the best of my ability. I’m determined to make sure things go well.’
England team to face South Africa: E Daly; J May, H Slade, O Farrell (capt), M Brown; D Cipriani, B Youngs; J Marler, J George, K Sinckler, J Launchbury, M Itoje, C Robshaw, T Curry, N Hughes.
Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie, A Hepburn, H Williams, J Hill, M Wilson, S Simmonds, B Spencer, D Solomona.