'Cipriani should play', says Carling
Danny Cipriani can provide England with an X-Factor, says Carling
Monday, 11, Jan 2010 04:54
By Alistair Potter.
Former captain Will Carling has called on Danny Cipriani to be given the England number ten shirt for the 2010 Six Nations tournament.
Carling believes Martin Johnson should start trusting the enigmatic Wasps youngster in a bid to rebuild public confidence in his England side, which has been accused of being slow and predictable in recent outings.
"Cipriani. is distant from many team-mates, untrusting of many, he voices opinions to coaches and to team-mates, and yet he can be brilliant," said Carling.
"He is the most potent attacking option England have at ten, he reads a game instinctively and plays the same way so is far, far harder to defend against.
"He is unpredictable but is the one player who could be special."
England lost two of their three autumn internationals last year, beating Argentina but suffering significant defeats to Australia and New Zealand.
And Carling claims a reliance on mercurial stand-off Jonny Wilkinson, who he says is past his best as a player, is not healthy.
"His defence is still as brave, his passing as crisp, his goal kicking almost as reliable as ever - but there are flaws," the former centre wrote on his personal website.
"His kicking out of hand is way off radar, his reading of a game is strangely naive and as I have said already he played far, far too deep, hence England's attack was easily dealt with by the opposition defence."
Carling has written off Cipriani's main competitor for the number ten jersey, Leicester half-back Toby Flood, as a "conservative" choice, saying he is "good" and "trusty" but not "the best option".
The former player, 44, believes the "risk" involved with playing Cipriani are outweighed by the potential benefits his expansive style of play would bring.
"Yes, Cipriani is a risk. Yes, he would require far more 'management' and yet the returns would be far, far greater," Carling continued.
"Whether people like to admit it or not he has a special talent, and at the moment England do not have too many players like that.
"The coaching team need to understand that a squad needs a blend of characters [and] players, and that winners are difficult to deal with but when you do the results are so much more rewarding.
"It is time for England to throw off the 'cautious' cloak and to start to play, to enjoy their rugby, to fulfil their talent and to start winning."