NIK SIMON: It’s a great shame that Danny Cipriani never got the chance to shine on the big stage… He played in an era where safety was paramount, white-collar coaches who wouldn’t leave their fate in his hands
The Love Island-worthy story surrounding Danny Cipriani’s sex life barely challenged the news racks in Paris this week. The French have little interest in who did or did not smuggle the old number 10 back to the England team hotel. And it turns out they have even less interest in a fly-on-the-wall shot through the 63-year-old eyes of Eddie Jones. No mercy!
Understandably, the conversation was dominated by the joyful competition that kicked off on Friday evening. “EN ROUTE POUR LE PARADIS,” went the fuss about La Parisien, whose idea of a paradisiacal bliss is unlikely to include any kind of interaction between Jones and Cipriani.
What did spark debate in the bistro bars with their annoying waiters was how such a talented individual was marginalized in such a mediocre team. We never had the pleasure of seeing Cipriani play in a World Cup and the question in France was: why?
Cipriani talks about the player-run mafia in his new book, but the godfather of every rugby team is the coach. Rugby is dominated by white-collar coaches who put safety first and don’t want to leave their fate in the hands of anyone who could send for them.
For years, personality and instinct have been squeezed out of players for the safety of a collective game plan. Coaches view rugby as a science rather than an art. Heaven forbid any player who defies the data-based theories and jumps out of the structure on their own. It’s safety in numbers.
It was a shame that Danny Cipriani never got the chance to star for England at a World Cup
The fly-half had the misfortune to play his career in an era when coaches were safety-first
The best players find a way to reflect their personality on the field. Owen Farrell does it in his gruff, abrasive and methodical way. In his early days Cipriani was young and naive, but naivete can be a beautiful thing in sporting terms. A careless and sometimes petulant surrender to the consequences. His coaches didn’t know how to nurture his personality, so the easy option was to get rid of it.
It’s a shame he never got a chance on the biggest stage. The wizard was kept in the cupboard under the stairs. Rugby was led by facilitators who dropped deep and rarely took a tackle.
But there is a sense that things are turning in the Wizards’ favor. The defense is stronger and better organized. Props and locks are more mobile than ever, which means fewer mismatches. It’s not as simple as passing to a fast guy who can run around a slow guy. The 10 should provide an instinctive running threat to manipulate and throw the defensive line out of shape.
Finn Russell’s show-and-go forces defenders to bite and creates space for his Scottish teammates. He may occasionally leave his coach with his heart in his mouth, but it’s a risk worth taking. Even the Springboks do it. Manie Libbok’s speed allows him to run the ball to lazy defenders, adding an extra dimension of chaos to the South African structure.
The game is changing. Hopefully that’s good news for wizards. Timing was one of Cipriani’s strengths. The irony is that he probably arrived on the scene a few years too early.