High on the list of things the 30-year-old Danny Cipriani would tell his younger self with the benefit of hindsight would be to keep believing. Over the past decade his high-profile career has taken more twists and turns than that of anyone else in modern English rugby but, finally, the white No 10 jersey is back in his possession for the first time since November 2008.
The last time he started for his country, Martin Johnson was the England manager, Gordon Brown lived at 10 Downing Street and Tom Curry, Cipriani’s team-mate in Cape Town on Saturday, was a mere 10 years old. The odd cameo off the bench notwithstanding, successive England coaches have found an excuse not to pick the most gifted attacking fly-half of his generation. For that reason alone, his second coming, beneath Table Mountain, seems almost like a debut.
The difference between Cipriani junior and senior is that the latter now knows to take nothing for granted. “When I was 20 everything just happened. It was almost like that was how it was going to be.” Now, despite the disappearance of George Ford from the match‑day squad and Owen Farrell’s continuing deployment at 12, he is aware his comeback will be short‑lived if he cannot grasp this overdue opportunity.
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Should he do so, however, the ramifications could be extensive. Eddie Jones has hitherto stuck to the trusty combination of Ford and Farrell at 10 and 12 but Cipriani, now set to win his 16th cap, has no desire to relinquish the shirt between now and next year’s World Cup. “I want to be in this England team for as long as I possibly can. I’ve been in and out for a while … a lot of it was my own doing and sometimes it was down to different personalities. But I persevered and made sure I’ve done everything I can to get back into the squad.”
If this sounds strangely unlike the Cipriani of popular legend, that is because public perceptions of him are mostly outdated. This is a man who reads deeply, keeps a daily journal and adheres to the Japanese philosophy of kaizen, the concept of continual improvement. Each day he writes down three things he can improve on and three good things that have happened to him: he finds it keeps him on an even keel and, crucially, also helps with his rugby.
Serenity and control, of course, are precisely what England have been lacking on this trip, which explains why Jones has taken the plunge on the Gloucester-bound fly-half. “It’s strange because when I was announced in the squad I didn’t feel a sense of relief or: ‘I’m there,’” Cipriani said. “Straight away my brain switched to: ‘How do I make an impression? What do I do next?’ I want to be the calmest guy on the field. That’s what I’ve tried to be consistent with over the last couple of years.”
Goodness knows how many caps Cipriani would have earned had he discovered inner peace earlier and not sustained a horrible ankle injury just a couple of months after ripping Ireland apart at Twickenham on his first international start in 2008. He has not always courted popularity at Wasps (twice), the Melbourne Rebels and Sale Sharks but at no stage has his desire to play for England wavered.
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“I went to Australia when I was younger because I was going through a tough time and wanted to experience a different culture. My plan was always to come back and play for England. Anyone who knows me knows that’s what I’ve always wanted.”
Now he finally has a chance to shine, assuming England’s forwards win some quick ball and the weather is not too wet and miserable. While Jones is hoping Cipriani will offer a useful left-footed kicking option, it is England’s game management that is in most urgent need of improvement. If he is as influential as he has been for Wasps over the past 18 months, his sizeable army of fans will be thrilled.
“I texted my mum this morning and she says she’s knitting a little top for the dog [a pug named Rocky],” Cipriani said. “She probably likes to get a bit more carried away than I do. I am no different to how I was yesterday. I just want to go out and have a good game on Saturday.”
With South Africa already 2-0 ahead in the series and Billy and Mako Vunipola unavailable, however, a test of English character looms. A bout of food poisoning has also sidelined Brad Shields, opening up a return for Chris Robshaw in the back row, while the expectation of a forward slog has prompted Jones to name six replacement forwards, five of them from Exeter Chiefs. The Springboks have rejigged their backline but retained virtually the same powerful pack that has so far given England such a hard time.