Patience has not often been a virtue credited to Danny Cipriani but the Wasps fly-half’s reward for sitting on hefty financial offers from French clubs was his first call‑up to the England squad under Eddie Jones and a two-year contract with Gloucester that will make him available for the World Cup next year.
When Wasps decided at the beginning of the year not to offer the 30‑year‑old a new contract it was expected he would follow another player who last season turned exasperation at the stalling of his Test career into euros by joining Toulon, Chris Ashton. While Cipriani has mustered only 14 caps after winning his first 10 years ago, his unwavering belief in his ability meant he could never close the chapter on England.
Jones had overlooked him because he did not see Cipriani contentedly accepting a bit-part role. A player who had had training-ground disputes with the two previous England regimes was considered by some to be disruptive. After a Six Nations campaign in which the champions of the previous two seasons looked off the pace and lost their last three matches to finish fifth, Cipriani’s instinctive attacking flair counts for more than his reputation as a player who took some handling.
Cipriani and Haskell keep World Cup hopes alive after joining new clubs
“I have been here before and it’s not about following the wave up and down and letting your emotions ride with it but staying on an even keel,” Cipriani said before what will be his final game for Wasps on Saturday unless they defeat Saracens in the Premiership play-off at Allianz Park.
“Anyone who knows me knows I’ve played the game just to play for England. It is now down to me to make sure things go well. I never gave up on England otherwise I would have signed a contract months ago.
“I love the attritional side of French rugby and I had conversations. It was not easy to hold out with people pointing out that I was not getting picked but perhaps that wasn’t the right moment for me. When it is meant to be, it will all fall into place. It is tough to break into a squad with so much quality but I have an opportunity to go in and leave a positive imprint.”
Cipriani will face his England tour captain in South Africa next month, Owen Farrell, when Wasps look to reach the final in consecutive seasons, although their league record against Saracens is poor – two victories in the past 13 meetings, both when Saracens fielded a weakened side.
“Owen has stayed at the top of his game for a while,” Cipriani said. “He drives and runs the team and is the focal point of a Sarries attack that can cut teams apart. He has a huge amount of intensity and I am looking forward to working with him on the tour.”
Cipriani has never been afraid to question authority and the first impression he makes on Jones, who from his first days with England has said he wants players to effectively make him redundant by being able to react to changing circumstances, will go a long way to determining whether he goes to the World Cup having missed out in 2011 and 2015.
“I have talked with Eddie regularly,” Cipriani said. “He has given me pointers and he brings the little details of coaching that bring out the best in players. Rightly or wrongly, I guess I have always been me. It has either put me in good stead or not. With Shaun Edwards [at Wasps in the late 2000s] and Brian Ashton [the former England coach], it was great: they put me in charge of teams full of internationals when I was 19 and 20 and gave me licence. Along the way, I have learned lessons about how to drive things.
“As different challenges come about over the years, so mistakes happen. That gets viewed as such a negative thing: a kid makes a mistake and gets told off. You learn from mistakes; it is how you improve. It is a message for people to understand: you won’t get to the top unless you make mistakes and I hope, after the ones I have made, I am the best version of myself right now and can keep improving.”
Cipriani was asked what his 18‑year‑old self would say to him now. “He would offer a high-five and say he would not have expected me to come through as I have. I feel lucky to be sitting here with a semi-final to play on Saturday and going on, I hope, to play for England again.”
Vunipola boost for Saracens
Saracens are likely to go into their home semi-final against Wasps boosted by the presence of Billy Vunipola. “We’re very hopeful Billy will be fine,” Mark McCall said. “Unless there’s a setback. He did everything we asked of him.”
McCall would not be drawn on whether Vunipola would start on Saturday but with Schalk Burger and Callum Clark missing it seems likely. “He’s a great player. We’ve done without him for the whole year, so it’s a big boost for the team, and for Billy, to get on the park again – hopefully!” The Wales full-back Liam Williams is touch and go with a shoulder injury. Michael Aywlin