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Danny Cipriani: a playmaker on the rise

16th March, 2008
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Roar Guru
16th March, 2008
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2841 Reads

After Danny Cipriani’s mature and masterly debut in the English number ten jersey against Ireland on Saturday, is there a place in an English backline Jonny Wilkinson?

England’s victory in the last round of the Six Nations came on the back of an all-round performance by the young fly half. With a backline eager to make use of its hard won field position, the English forward pack were delighted to see their efforts fully capitalised on.

Gone was the drop-kick minded stodginess that has clouded Brian Ashton’s reign. Where Wilko would have seen an open touchline to kick to, Cipriani saw a gap to send his outside players running into.

The difference between this performance and the previous week’s shambles at Murrayfield was glaring. And it all revolved around Cipriani’s willingness to be more than just a fly half, but a playmaker.

Cipriani lacks nothing as a rugby player. His performances for Wasps, where he has been such a sensation in the Guinness Premiership, have confirmed that. Now we know he can take his game up to international level as well.

So where to for Wilko?

A great kicker though he may be, Wilkinson’s poor performances this year have shown a dangerously limited ball-in-hand game. A discrepancy in his game that many southern hemisphere rugby pundits have alluded to previously.

Few international reserve benches can carry a spare flyhalf who doesn’t really cover any other positions as well. Wilkinson hasn’t the speed, the hands or the creativity to play at 12 or 13 and has nowhere near the explosiveness to play at full back.

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So where to for Wilko? Can English rugby finally stop looking backwards and come out of the shadow of Clive Woodward’s 2003 team.

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