Classy Cipriani points Wasps to victory over Northampton

DANNY CIPRIANI, controversially omitted from England’s RBS Six Nations side by Martin Johnson, kicked the three penalties which enabled Wasps to pull off a 9-5 Guinness Premiership victory against Northampton yesterday.

But Cipriani was eclipsed by Northampton’s exciting young England hopeful Ben Foden, who scored the only try of the match.

Foden, left out by Johnson for last weekend’s defeat by Wales after making his England debut as a replacement in the previous week’s Twickenham victory over Italy, took a pass from out-half Stephen Myler to burst over in the left corner in the 55th minute.

But Myler had an off day with the boot, missing the conversion and three penalty attempts, and it cost Saints the chance of their first away Premiership victory of the season in a match they dominated for long periods.

Meanwhile England flanker Michael Lipman will see a neurosurgeon today amid fears about his future. Lipman has been sidelined since being concussed during Bath’s Heineken Cup clash against Toulouse a month ago.

Lipman’s plight comes just days after former France skipper Raphael Ibanez retired from playing with Guinness Premiership champions Wasps.

Ibanez, who led France 41 times during a 98-cap Test career, followed a neurosurgeon’s advice to step down. He suffered a head injury on three occasions earlier this season.

“I will be seeing a neurosurgeon in Bath on Tuesday,” said Lipman, who won the last of his 10 England caps against New Zealand in November.

“You can’t put a time limit on it, but you cannot play when you are not 100%. If you do so, you are risking brain damage, memory loss and the shakes. You have to look after yourself – I am only 29.”

Lipman was briefly knocked out in the Toulouse game following an accidental collision that saw him take a blow behind his left ear.