Cipriani lifts lid on English rugby’s great flaw: a mistrust of mavericks

Fly-half reveals much in his new book, not least the preference for pragmatists over visionaries that still holds England back

Danny Cipriani’s newly-published autobiography Who Am I? has been causing a bit of a stir, even in a busy week for rugby. Suffice to say, if the former England fly-half had represented his country as successfully and frequently as he says he chatted up the nation’s women, his caps record would never be beaten.

The line that really hit the spot, however, had nothing to do with his – how to put this best – lively personal life. Forget the “squad” rotation details serialised in The Times and focus instead on Cipriani’s thoughts about why England were so reluctant to pick him. For years, he suggests, they have been keener to pick players who are the quickest to get back up off the floor after a ruck or a tackle, a traditional indicator of both desire and fitness. Cipriani sees it slightly differently. “I’m thinking, ‘Who gives a shit? Surely it’s more important what they do when they’re actually on their feet?’”

And there, in a nutshell, is the debate now splitting English rugby. Call it Roundheads v Cavaliers or Pragmatists v Musketeers. Or, if you prefer its more modern incarnation, Owen Farrell v Marcus Smith. Actually, that’s not entirely fair on Farrell and Smith, both valuable players in their differing ways, but it does neatly capture the point Cipriani is making.

Because Cipriani is bluntly expressing what the rest of us have been trying to articulate for years. For a variety of reasons rugby in England – and a few other places – has been instantly suspicious of mavericks or anyone possessed of slightly left-field vision. You can see why not every coach wanted to place their whole professional futures in the socially busy hands of Cipriani but, equally, what might have come to pass had they done so?

Actually, we do sort of know the answer to that. When Cipriani was finally invited by Eddie Jones to start in the third Test against South Africa in a sodden Cape Town in 2018, he responded by winning the game for England with an opportunistic cross-kick which, he now admits, was a punt in every sense of the word. Relying on instinct as opposed to cool-headed calculation, he duly produced something out of the ordinary which paid off handsomely.

Cipriani’s reward? He never played for England again. Which tells you much about the lack of trust in the unorthodox that has become English rugby’s defining trait. When the going gets tough – and even when it isn’t – the reaction is to play the percentages rather than think that little bit smarter.

All this has seemingly reached its logical conclusion under Steve Borthwick, to the point where no-one is trying much at all any more. Maybe it will all come right on the night against Argentina in a hot Marseille on Saturday but, lately, it has been almost painful to watch. What is worse: to lose having utilised the attacking artillery at your disposal or having barely attempted any shots whatsoever.

The other killer line to be published in recent days was to be found in these pages at the weekend. In a revealing column, Nick Evans, England’s attack coach during this year’s Six Nations, was recalling his first week in the job. “There was no attacking system before that,” he revealed, adding that England had sought to go into matches looking to be hard to beat rather than proactively looking to win them.

No surprise there, you might say, to anyone who has seen England play this year. But Evans – another gifted international fly-half – was also identifying the fundamental issue that has been holding England back. In their desperation not to be undone defensively they had retreated so far into their shells they had basically forgotten the way back out.

As it happens, England’s defence has also been increasingly rubbish, with 30 tries conceded in nine games this year. But their bigger crime, arguably, has been to find themselves miles out of step with the way the faster-moving modern game is now going. Even when South Africa won the 2019 World Cup, based squarely on their “Bomb Squad” and indomitable pack, there was a dash of genuine electricity in their back three and the same still applies.

New Zealand, France, Australia, Scotland, Fiji, Argentina and Italy, to name but a few, will also all be coming at opponents at pace in the coming weeks. Ireland’s wingers, Mack Hansen and James Lowe, are roving danger men who can also make the unexpected happen. This World Cup will emphatically not be won by teams who decline to take even the slightest of risks.

Maybe Cipriani protests slightly too much but, personally, I’ve always found him to be thoughtful and unafraid to be his own man. Talent without application is a notoriously frustrating combination but Cipriani has always cared deeply about his rugby.

It is too late now, at 35, for him to re-energise England’s World Cup campaign but perhaps his rugby philosophy – without the more salacious off-field titbits – should be pinned to a few dressing-room walls in the coming days. Visionaries can rock the boat but, without them, there can only be strictly limited imagination. Better to aim high and fall short than settle for dull, formulaic failure.

A big farewell

At the last World Cup in Japan in 2019, one of the most memorable experiences was an hilarious night spent with a group of old friends who had played rugby together in the south of France around 40 years previously. They included the rarest of unicorns: an English forward so respected in his adopted land that they made him captain of Montpellier. Patrick Chenery, who also played in Exeter’s pack, was a big man with an even bigger heart and would have loved to have returned to France for the 2023 tournament. Sadly he passed away at the end of last month after a lengthy illness but will forever be remembered fondly on both sides of the Channel. Rest in peace, Paddy.

One to watch

Red and yellow cards seem certain to have a massive influence on the Rugby World Cup but the authorities are confident in their new “bunker review” system, designed to minimise the chances of officiating mistakes being made. For this tournament there will be two Foul Play Review Officers in addition to the Television Match Official, the aim being to achieve “better outcomes” than has occasionally been the case. A player can still be red carded on the field for blatant thuggery or clear foul play but, otherwise, the majority of miscreants will be shown a yellow which, if necessary, can then be upgraded. Sitting in the tournament’s broadcast centre in Paris, with the benefit of HawkEye technology, the FPROs have up to eight minutes to reach a decision, with the average time taken being around four minutes. More than ever before, the sport needs its growing legions of officials to be right at the top of their game.

Memory lane

Back to June 1987 and a look at the two team mascots at the first World Cup final, at Eden Park, where co-hosts New Zealand would beat France 29-9 and claim glory. For a measure of their remarkable dominance, the All Blacks conceded just 52 points across their six matches. If you want to read more on that tournament, here’s Eddie Butler from 2011.

Still want more?

Luke McLaughlin breaks down the World Cup with guides to Pools A, B, C and D. He also catches up with members of the England squad from 2007 for an oral history of their unlikely run to the final.

Gerard Meagher takes a deep dive into where it’s all gone wrong for England since the 2019 final. He also looks at how the birthright rule is giving teams an extra X-factor.

I’m thrilled by the unpredictability that stalks this competition, writes Ugo Monye.

Michael Aylwin assesses Wales’s chances and concludes that they are worlds away from success in France.

Paul Eddison explains why the Pumas ought to start as favourites against England, while Nick Evans thinks Steve Borthwick’s side will still be hard to beat.

The All Blacks have fashioned an art form of traversing extremes as they stumble toward the World Cup. Whether the canvas concludes in triumph or despair next month is brushed with uncertainty, writes Liam Napier.

France’s influential scrum-half Antoine Dupont is set to be the face of the World Cup but he has not forgotten his roots in the Pyrenees, as Raphaël Jucobin reports.

And Will Hooley hails the underdogs who could well have their day in France.

Subscribe

To subscribe to the Breakdown, just visit this page and follow the instructions. And sign up for The Recap, the best of our sports writing from the past seven days.