Six Nations
Cipriani wants to seize England chance
Tom Hamilton
February 17, 2015

Danny Cipriani says his try-scoring return to the England side is "just the start" and he will continue to learn both from the national team's coaches and his mentor Steve Black.

Cipriani returned to the England fold last June for their tour of New Zealand but found himself back in the cold for the November Tests. However, Owen Farrell's injury opened the door for Cipriani and while he was an unused replacement for their Six Nations opener against Wales, he was given his chance 62 minutes into their comfortable win over Italy.

It was the perfect Twickenham return for Cipriani as he scored with just his second touch a minute later but the fly-half hopes it will be just the beginning of his return to the England set-up.

"That's just the start, there's a lot more for me to do," Cipriani said. "I want to carry on being a valuable member of the squad and bring the skills-set that I know I can bring. I have to keep learning under Andy Farrell, Mike Catt and Stuart Lancaster. I've learned so much already in the last few weeks."

It was Cipriani's first run out at Twickenham since 2008. Injury, off-field ill-discipline and a move to Australia then halted his international aspirations and he admitted he took international rugby for granted.

"I was in a fantastic Wasps side and things happened a certain way, so when I came into the England side under Martin Johnson I had to adapt to a different system," said Cipriani. "I just thought it would have gone the same way as it did at Wasps, but it didn't. I had to be a different person in those situations and learn from it. I probably took it for granted a little bit.

"At the time I didn't say I took it for granted but you don't really appreciate the moments as they come along. That's what I'm doing now: every moment and every experience I am appreciating and there's no way I want to be out of this England side ever again, for as long as I'm playing."

England's Danny Cipriani goes over against Italy, England v Italy, Six Nations, Twickenham, February 14, 2015
Danny Cipriani scored with just his second touch against Italy © Getty Images
Enlarge

Cipriani is, by his own admission, in a different place mentally seven years on and some of that is down to his work with fitness guru Black.

"I'm just a bit older and uglier I guess [than 2008]!" Cipriani said. "I've learned a lot of lessons in the last seven years. If someone had told me to meet Steve Black when I was 20 and in that position, I probably would have politely declined and said, 'I feel fine now'. You don't think about those things at that age but as you get older you mature and see things in a different light.

"You grow up and gaps in your life get filled, whatever they may be. I just feel like I'm in a much wiser position and more stable in that way. I'm only 27 so I'm a good three or four years off my peak - I've still got a bit of "toe" so I can still shift about a bit!"

Cipriani has worked with Black since 2013 and much of the work they do is on his off-field mentality and preparation. "We speak all the time, making sure I'm making notes in my journal, doing things the right way and appreciating every moment, every day that goes by. Moments can be lost if you don't log them - write them down, because you can't remember everything.

"When we speak he tells me to go out and play to the best of my ability and he tells me what to work on; during the week things like hydration and the right food, things that I might just let slip or forget about. He reminds me to be the energy, be someone who has confidence."

Cipriani said he'd note down the reaction he received from the Twickenham crowd - something he referred to as "very humbling" - but he hopes it will be the first of many such ovations. The focus for Cipriani is both on the here and now but also the World Cup. George Ford is currently the first-choice fly-half in the England team but Cipriani is ready to step in if given the opportunity.

"Any player in the 23 or the 35-man squad wants to start games; that's what they do for their clubs and that's what they're accustomed to. It is a different skill coming off the bench but I tried to do it to the best of my ability and I will take lessons from it. There are things I can improve on and work on.

"Everyone is aiming to get to that No 1 spot, whatever position it is. Everyone wants to be putting their hand up so it's important I don't step off the mark one little bit. Whether I go back to my club and play well for Sale or whatever it is, I need to keep playing at my best."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
Tom Hamilton is the Associate Editor of ESPNscrum.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.