What the Ruck IV

By DC

Ladies and Gentleman this week I would like to introduce you to the walking F bomb, the biggest F*%K YOU to come out of rugby since I told my coach what I thought of him when he dropped me from the under 9 touch rugby side for a high tackle. Daniel Jerome Cipriani, the man oozes so much talent he has to wear a scrum cap just to keep the excess brilliance from escaping, the man has everything. One of the most talented players in the game at the moment, so talented that the rugby Gods saw fit to award him the Golden Globes for his commitment to simple awesomeness. Ouch, sorry the other half just kicked me hard apparently I should have used her full name it’s not Golden Globes it’s Kelly Brook, but come on you knew what and who I meant.

Cipriani exploded on to the scene in 2004, when he became the youngest player to take to the paddock in the Guinness Premiership when he was just 4 months old; ok he had just turned 17 the previous month. Danny leapt from strength to strength, from performance to performance, his eye for a gap and his God given ability leading to his test debut in 2008 – the pinnacle

Turned his back on a stalled England career Daniel Cipriani

of which was the performance against Ireland in the 6 nations. Following that game Danny C entered into the stuff of legend, was it for his dancing feet? His electrifying pace? His all round kicking game? Nope it was for landing the F Bomb live on BBC. Just as Granny Joan and Aunty Mavis had popped the kettle on for an early evening Horlicks along came Danny Boy and used the F Word right there in the middle of the nations living room – funniest thing I have seen since the Tiger Woods press conference.

So why am I writing about the Boy who could be king? Because in the last week Danny delivered yet another F bomb, not just an F Bomb – this was more like a two fingers stuck firmly up, spit in your eye, kick you in the crotch, slap you in the face, sleep with your girlfriend, insult you mother and question your parentage, fully fledged F BOMB! Danny turned to Martin Johnson and defiantly told him what he thought of him – and that would be very little, microscopic. You are not going to give me a chance Martin, then look over there that will be my talented ass getting into the back of a cab bound for the airport. Danny Cipriani turned his back on a stalled England career and headed down under putting pen to paper for the new emerging franchise in the Super 14 – and I personally think it will be the best move he has ever made.

Cipriani has the full package, a genuine class act, he has the hands of a surgeon capable of slicing open defences with clinical accuracy the kind of game brain that is reserved for the select few those greats that live in a different time zone to the rest of the human race. He has the kind of turn of pace that wingers and cheetahs can only dream of; over a flat 70 yards he has skinned Paul Sackey and burned Tom Varndell – seriously impressive. People have been known to criticise him for his lack of a defensive ability, granted he might not tackle like a freight train but he sure did not mind fronting up to Josh Lewsey when he accused Cips of lacking commitment.

I love watching Danny play; he is one of those rare players that belong on the International stage – now however it would appear that the England management do not agree. Danny is a superstar he lives the lifestyle of a 22 year with the world at his feet and a wallet full of readies – he lives the boy band lifestyle. The England management would appear to have no need for talent and attacking flair if it comes with an entourage – the message is clear – young and gifted is ok if it looks like Mr Potato head and is as obedient as Pavlov’s Dog.    

Rumours have been circling for months that MJ has a list of players that are too “showy”, too “party”, too “high maintenance” – Danny’s name would be at the top of list – number one with a bullet. Martin runs a tight ship, a ship that could be starting to find its course, but a tight ship none the less and there is no room aboard for Danny. It seems that gifted players are not welcome, in fact when Jonny looked like he was injured who did Jonno call? When your star player, the legend needs cover do you turn to the multi talented gifted genius Cips....who you gonna call??? It would appear that Jonno would rather have Charlie “looks so much like Dan Aykroyd that even Dan Aykroyd got confused” Hodgson, in the squad than caught leaving a night club ..... Sober I may add .... Cipriani.

Faced with this kind of treatment is there any wonder Danny dropped another F Bomb and this time directed it at Jonno, he might not have addressed his departure to one person in particular but I think it’s clear who his actions were aimed at. I hope that Danny goes down to the Super 14 and plays the kind of rugby that northern Hemisphere players can only dream of – I hope that he goes down south and evolves turning his potential into greatness – becoming the kind of player that can raise one finger from the other side of the globe and it still be seen from HQ.

Outside halves need to be “showy” they need to be the centre of attention, ignore them at your peril. I have come out in the past critical of players that have changed clubs to join the stands but players going to a different club a different league a different country if they are being ignored is something else. If the England management are too stubborn to see that the future is right in front of them, to see the genius that is waiting then they deserve what they get. You go Danny, take your dancing fleet of foot attacking rugby to a place where heads will be turned and crowds will be appreciative, and as you leave you make sure you toss up one last bird to the powers that be. The king may not be dead, but the heir to the crown has just dropped one last F bomb as he boards the plane, one more time just for the cheap seats .....



DC