Danny Cipriani: The ultimate defection?

Judgement Day

Just read this priceless piece on planetrugby.com and it's not even April 1st. He will be following in the footsteps of Clive Woodward.....now if only Toby Flood would follow suit.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_6305507,00.html

Danny Cipriani's move to Australia may have been seen as a defection by some, but how would we all feel if he moved to soccer!?

It's unlikely. Cipriani has been pretty good about staying in touch with new coach in Melbourne Rod MacQueen. But as he strives to stay fit ahead of joining the Rebels' pre-season program starting in October, Cipriani has been training with, and catching the eye of, soccer coaches at Queen's Park Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur.

He's been upgraded at QPR from reserve team to first team, with manager Neil Warnock - a persuasive man known for an impassable will - keeping an open mind as to the possibility of signing him on.

Cipriani has also spent two weeks training with Tottenham and former England midfielder Tim Sherwood, the club's technical director responsible for player development, said to the Daily Mail: "I don't know how long he is giving to the game, but if Danny has any interest in being a professional footballer, he would have a chance."

Asked about what he is doing at QPR, Cipriani said: "I'm just down there training, keeping fit."

We'll see. The rumour mill at Wasps is grinding out grains at a rate of knots and there has already been doubts about Cipriani's determination to head down south. But having not played since April, Cipriani would end up coming to the Super 15 next year after ten months out of the game so the fitness story is just as likely.

Off ya go Danny, you won't be missed.

JustinDee

Apart from the English rugby union afficianados out there, who should care??
He's free to do what he wants and if he does well, then fair balls to him.
Playing a sport professionally isn't a vocation.
Its a career.
A job.

Flips sake, the begrudgery . . .

redroar1942

Deleted User wrote: »

Off ya go Danny, you won't be missed.

If he could get back to the form he was on 2 seasons ago England would have a real chance at the World Cup.

Luckycharm

redroar1942 wrote: »

If he could get back to the form he was on 2 seasons ago England would have a real chance at the World Cup.

Well he would need to learn to tackle first he worse then ROG at that regard he does a Garbajosa in defense!!

stephen_n

The way the game is going, moving back towards a running game I would imagine when England finally get rid of Johno and his caveman rugby that they would seriously miss Cipriani's ability to move a backline!

Amazotheamazing

If we had Cipriani we'd be calling him the new Carter, he's a serious talent, never thought his tackling was that bad, like Hook, his biggest problem is his consistency.

Luckycharm

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

If we had Cipriani we'd be calling him the new Carter, he's a serious talent, never thought his tackling was that bad, like Hook, his biggest problem is his consistency.

His tackling is woeful Wasps used to move him to the wing in defense, like hook at 10 his game management can be pretty poor as well- I think he would make a better fullback.

LeeroyJones

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

If we had Cipriani we'd be calling him the new Carter, he's a serious talent, never thought his tackling was that bad, like Hook, his biggest problem is his consistency.

If previous threads are anything to go by, if we had Cipriani it would be the province that had him calling him the new Carter with the others suggesting otherwise-to put it mildly!

Cipriani is a serious talent. I don't think he is as good as people say however. To be a successful rugby player you need the rugby attributes but what is equally as important are mental attributes.
Cipriani certainly does have the rugby attributes, however I would not be so sure of his state of mind, the jury is still out as far as I'm concerned. I think if he had the mindset and focus of the Wilko's and BOD's of this world he would be a seriously good player. Still only 22 lets not forget, so there still is time for him to fulfill his unquestionable talent.

Amazotheamazing

Luckycharm wrote: »

His tackling is woeful Wasps used to move him to the wing in defense, like hook at 10 his game management can be pretty poor as well- I think he would make a better fullback.

In his first pro season or so but not anymore?

I agree about his game management, and I don't know if either himself or Hook will ever become the outhalves their talent suggests they could be because of it. I don't know if it's purely a consistency thing or just an innate inability to run a game. Biggar at the Osprey's seems to have it already despite being younger and more inexperienced than either Cipriani or Hook, can it be developed or is it something you just have?

I do think if we had him we'd be hyping him to high heaven.

PhatPiggins

stephen_n wrote: »

The way the game is going, moving back towards a running game I would imagine when England finally get rid of Johno and his caveman rugby that they would seriously miss Cipriani's ability to move a backline!

+1 he has all the best attributes of Flood and Wilkinson bar defence which I dont think is that bad to be honest. Wilkninson tackles like a blinside but he moves like one too(sorry JD) and Flood has plenty of good intentions but doesn't have the tools to execute them.

Johnsons management of Cipriani has been dreadful. OK he's obviously a bit precious(what decent 10 isn't) but he's got so much talent that he should have been accommodated.Not doubt if he played for leicester or was 10 years older he would be starting for England.

danthefan

Can someone explain to me why people dislike Cipriani so much? I don't really get it. What has he done exactly?

thomond2006

danthefan wrote: »

Can someone explain to me why people dislike Cipriani so much? I don't really get it. What has he done exactly?

Do you really need to ask?

siltirocker

danthefan wrote: »

Can someone explain to me why people dislike Cipriani so much? I don't really get it. What has he done exactly?

Publicaly critising (sic) his own team-mates and management on the basis he wasn't picked (due to a form drop). Despicable stuff IMO. And i believe Johnson's players and management spoke out at their lack of want for Cipriani in the squad for these reasons.

pappyodaniel

All the same I think he is a quality player who if he toned down the attitude and arrogance would have it in him to be one of the best fly halves in world rugby.

danthefan

siltirocker wrote: »

Publicaly critising (sic) his own team-mates and management on the basis he wasn't picked (due to a form drop). Despicable stuff IMO. And i believe Johnson's players and management spoke out at their lack of want for Cipriani in the squad for these reasons.

And Irish player has essentially done the exact same thing.

JustinDee

danthefan wrote: »

Can someone explain to me why people dislike Cipriani so much? I don't really get it. What has he done exactly?

Jealousy.

JustinDee

JustinDee wrote: »

Jealousy.

Nonsense. He's an intolerable whinger. Obviously Johnson think he has a toxic effect on the team, hence he doesnt/didnt pick him. No amount of talent will make up for that. He's like Gavin Henson except infinitely worse.

JustinDee

Deleted User wrote: »

Nonsense. He's an intolerable whinger. Obviously Johnson think he has a toxic effect on the team, hence he doesnt/didnt pick him. No amount of talent will make up for that. He's like Gavin Henson except infinitely worse.

It isn't nonsense. Its quite valid.
A good-looking fella who has stepped out with beaut girlies and enjoyed a high profile whilst earning from playing a sport.
A definite begrudgery magnet in Ireland or the UK and typically so.

d'Oracle

JustinDee wrote: »

It isn't nonsense. Its quite valid.
A good-looking fella who has stepped out with beaut girlies and enjoyed a high profile whilst earning from playing a sport.

I can see one problem with this statement....

Luckycharm

PhatPiggins wrote: »

+1 he has all the best attributes of Flood and Wilkinson bar defence which I dont think is that bad to be honest. Wilkninson tackles like a blinside but he moves like one too(sorry JD) and Flood has plenty of good intentions but doesn't have the tools to execute them.

Johnsons management of Cipriani has been dreadful. OK he's obviously a bit precious(what decent 10 isn't) but he's got so much talent that he should have been accommodated.Not doubt if he played for leicester or was 10 years older he would be starting for England.

HIs defence is still poor and his kicking out of hand can be very erratic- he also gets blocked down quite a lot especially when he tries his little chip kicks. He looked the real deal against Ireland a couple of years ago- broke his ankle badly and not quite come back the same. Will Carling (not exactly everyones cup of tea) said he spent 6 weeks trying to help him along but gave up as he did not feel he had the hunger to reclaim the 10 England Jersey
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12321_5945010,00.html

He is a young good lad with a high profile G/friend (fair play) but so is Dan carter who proves it on the pitch game after game. Don't forget he also got dropped by England after dropping into a nightclub a couple of nights prior to an England game.
Only young and I think a couple of years in Super 15 will be great for him and he could come back a great player.

stephen_n

siltirocker wrote: »

Publicaly critising (sic) his own team-mates and management on the basis he wasn't picked (due to a form drop). Despicable stuff IMO. And i believe Johnson's players and management spoke out at their lack of want for Cipriani in the squad for these reasons.

Kind of chicken and egg one there though, he had been fit and in better form then the incumbent outhalf and was not even included in the squad, which possibly had an effect on his form. Johnson doesn't like him that much is clear!

siltirocker

danthefan wrote: »

And Irish player has essentially done the exact same thing.

Who? (not defensive just curious?)

[Jackass]

I would be more than happy if Leinster signed Cipriani.

He'd be second choice behind Sexton in my book, but he would give excellent competition in the squad and when on form you'd have to rotate him in, and despite being horribly inconsistent, when he's good, he's awesome!

He's a good player at times and would be a useful addition to just about any professional rugby squad.

As for his private life, I don't really care.

handsomecake

he handed our arse to us in twickenham in 2008 (i think it was 08).an absolute masterclass

skregs

JustinDee wrote: »

It isn't nonsense. Its quite valid.
A good-looking fella who has stepped out with beaut girlies and enjoyed a high profile whilst earning from playing a sport.
A definite begrudgery magnet in Ireland or the UK and typically so.

Demanded a massive pay rise from Wasps, criticised and physically fought his own team mates, refused to shake hands with opponents after matches, cried to all who'd listen when he got dropped from both Wasps and England, threatened to go Australia and play if he didn't get picked for England, and generally acted like a insufferable egotistical twat.

PhatPiggins

handsomecake wrote: »

he handed our arse to us in twickenham in 2008 (i think it was 08).an absolute masterclass

Whats this us business paleface ?

davocesque

I noticed on the bbc sport column that danny cipriani is training with the Colorado Rapids soccer team from the MLS, this coming after two training weeks with Spurs and QPR. Cipriani's reps are denying that he's going to 'transfer' to soccer, but this clearly looks like he's trying to get a contract. It got me thinkin, is there many cases of rugby players swapping codes to soccer or vice versa?

The only other case i know, is Johnny Murphy, former Arsenal trainee turned Irish international rugby player.

Guy:Incognito

Other than publicity, I cant see the point. Unless he's some exceptional talent , there's any number or younger, cheaper options playing football in countries all around the world.

danthefan

Could he simply be trying to stay fit? A wild thought, I know.

davocesque

danthefan wrote: »

Could he simply be trying to stay fit? A wild thought, I know.

obviously not a wild thought, but if i was a pro athlete, i would imagine the best kind of fitness training is sport specific, and maybe its a wild thought, but surely the best way for a rugby player to stay fit is to play rugby, not soccer!!

danthefan

davocesque wrote: »

obviously not a wild thought, but if i was a pro athlete, i would imagine the best kind of fitness training is sport specific, and maybe its a wild thought, but surely the best way for a rugby player to stay fit is to play rugby, not soccer!!

With who? He's obviously waiting for Melbourne to start their pre-season.

davocesque

danthefan wrote: »

With who? He's obviously waiting for Melbourne to start their pre-season.

if he can find a soccer club to train with why cudnt he find a rugby club?

And if he was just training id think he was just keeping fit, but he has been playing reserve team matches for these teams, so if he's so concerned about his fitness, why is he running the risk of injury in official matches?? AND, why is he going to 3 clubs in a month, he is surely on trials!!!

conno16

maybe he should contact liverpool fc

they need english midfielders deffo

Amazotheamazing

davocesque wrote: »

obviously not a wild thought, but if i was a pro athlete, i would imagine the best kind of fitness training is sport specific, and maybe its a wild thought, but surely the best way for a rugby player to stay fit is to play rugby, not soccer!!

Is he allowed play rugby by Melbourne? I doubt it, I doubt he'd even allowed under go contact training sessions in case he gets injured.

This is a fantastic way for him to keep fit, to learn a few new things etc. He's always looked outside of rugby for coaching to make him a better player, this is the next level of that, imo.

danthefan

davocesque wrote: »

if he can find a soccer club to train with why cudnt he find a rugby club?

And if he was just training id think he was just keeping fit, but he has been playing reserve team matches for these teams, so if he's so concerned about his fitness, why is he running the risk of injury in official matches?? AND, why is he going to 3 clubs in a month, he is surely on trials!!!

Ehh, because I doubt Melbourne want him at another rugby club. I'd say there's easily as much chance of injury in contact training with a rugby club than playing football. Further to that now that the rugby season has started I doubt any club would want a guy training with them who they don't have the option of playing.