DANNY’S GOT THE X FACTOR... HE’S NOT SCRAPPED , HE’S IN THE MIX
Cipriani gets an England lifeline as Jones boxes clever
DANNY CIPRIANI was last night given an assurance by England that his career is not on the scrapheap.
The Gloucester star is still coming to terms with being binned by Eddie Jones despite inspiring England to their first win in six last time out.
That victory in Cape Town could quite possibly have saved Jones from the sack, yet Cipriani’s reward was to be shown the door.
It left the 30-yearold not knowing what to think and he will likely be even more confused after England’s attack coach Scott Wisemantel (left) bigged him up in Bristol.
“The guy has got X factor, he’s got talent, there is no doubt about that,” said the Australian. “By no means is Danny scrapped.
“He’s not here as we only needed two fly-halves for what is a short camp, but Danny is still in the mix.”
The widely held perception is that Cipriani is not trusted by Jones, just as he was not by a number of the head coach’s predecessors.
Jones swears by Owen Farrell and George Ford and is more likely to swear at the less compliant Cipriani.
Some believe he was given his first start for a decade only because it was a game England were expected to lose and that would, once and for all, allow Jones to jettison the maverick.
But it did not pan out that way and when Jones then ruled out axing the No.10 for non-rugby reasons it became even more difficult to justify his exclusion. Farrell’s masterclass against Cipriani on Sunday makes it ever more likely he will soon get the 10 position he covets.
But that depends on Manu Tuilagi being fit and offering a heavy duty option at 12 – and no sooner was Jones allowing himself to get excited by the centre’s resurgence than he was injured yet again at the weekend.
So for now Jones continues to try to box clever, knowing he cannot afford to sign Cipriani’s death notice in case Farrell and Ford are crocked before the World Cup.
Joe Marler has made himself available to play for Harlequins at Gloucester on Saturday despite withdrawing from this week’s England camp for ‘personal’ reasons.
Red Rose team-mate Mike Brown is also fit to return.