Ireland clash a reminder of Cipriani's fall from favour

Two years ago, the future of English rugby was spelt Danny Cipriani after the teenage Wasps prodigy did the unthinkable and usurped Jonny Wilkinson as England’s fly-half.

Cipriani produced a sparkling full England debut as he masterminded a crushing 33-10 victory over Ireland at Twickenham. When Wilkinson came off the bench he had to play second fiddle at inside centre.

But fast forward 24 months and, as England prepare to host the Irish again this weekend, the only place where Cipriani’s name is up in lights is 12,000 miles away.

Cipriani last week confirmed he was turning his back on England to sign a ground-breaking deal to become the first marquee signing for the Melbourne Rebels, Australia’s new Super 15 franchise.

It is a mark of how far Cipriani has fallen out of favour with England that Martin Johnson and the red rose management virtually waved him off.

“We spoke last week and I wished him good luck,” said England manager Johnson.

“He has got bags of potential but lots of players in our squad have that.”

Cipriani’s rapid rise was checked in May 2008, two months after the Ireland game, when he suffered a gruesome fractured dislocation of the ankle in the Premiership semi-final against Bath.

He was rushed back into the England side for Johnson’s first autumn series but he has never rediscovered the spark which made him such a force before the injury.

Cipriani’s last England appearance was off the bench against New Zealand in November 2008. He has been restricted to the second-string Saxons since, for whom he has hardly covered himself in glory.

Over the last two years there has been a constant flow of rumours and allegations that Cipriani’s attitude rubbed both coaches and team-mates up the wrong way.

The counter-argument runs that England’s management team have not handled Cipriani properly and effectively run him out of town.

But Johnson said: “I probably spent more time talking to him than any other player.”

And England’s attack coach Brian Smith also laughed off the suggestion.

“When we picked the squad for this series, Cips had been injured. He didn’t have any form behind him. We have to go in with the two 10s we think are firing. That is our judgement,” said Smith.

“The conversations I had with Danny were civilised and he understood where we were coming from.”

Smith, who moved from Australia to Ireland during his own playing career, believes Cipriani’s switch to Melbourne will benefit him both on and off the field.

But Smith was also anxious to point out that England are well-stocked in the fly-half position and will not be holding their breath for a revitalised Cipriani to return home.

“I am not sorry to see him go in as much as I think he can grow from the experience,” said Smith.

“Super Rugby is free-flowing and it will suit him down to the ground. There will be some good influences on him, he is still young and it will be a chance to develop his game.

“The disappointment is that by going down there he is almost taking himself out of the running and you don’t want to see any of your positions diluted in talent.

“I did the same thing 20 years ago and I think I was a better player for it.

“I think Danny has done it for the right reasons. He has made that call and he has got to make it a winner. I hope he comes back a better player because we all have a stake in Danny Cipriani.

“I will stay in touch with him, that is my role. But I would point out that stake is not bigger or smaller than for any of the other fly-halves.

“But we are fortunate that we have some very good players in that position. We have to provide the same opportunities for Wilkinson, Flood, Charlie Hodgson, Shane Geraghty, Stephen Myler and maybe Alex Goode could come through. Saracens have promised to give him a run at 10 next year.

“We are in a healthy position. We have five or six guys who could do a job for us at the World Cup.”

Cipriani could technically still play for England at the 2011 World Cup but the fact he will not be available for next year’s Six Nations will count against him in Johnson’s plans.

And so if Cipriani is still the future of English rugby, that future will not begin for at least two more years.

Wilkinson, meanwhile, is back cemented in the England fly-half role and will start Saturday’s game against Ireland, 12 years after making his Test debut as a replacement against the same opposition.