Wilkinson heaps praise on England flyhalf Cipriani

LONDON: Jonny Wilkinson has heaped praise on teammate Danny Cipriani, the man who took his England No 10 shirt for Saturday's Six Nations victory against Ireland.

Wilkinson, the leading scorer in test rugby, was dropped for the match at Twickenham in favour of the Wasps flyhalf, who went on to mastermind England's impressive 33-10 victory, its first win over the Irish in five attempts.

"That was a phenomenally impressive start from Danny Cipriani in the England No. 10 shirt," Wilkinson said in his column in the Times newspaper on Monday.

"And believe me, from where I was sitting on the England bench for most of the game, it was a joy to watch."

Cipriani was dropped after being named for his first start against Scotland earlier this month when he was pictured leaving a nightclub in the early hours.

But the 20-year-old impressed on his senior debut at Twickenham, with three conversions and four penalties as well as putting in a solid defensive display and adding rare variety to England's attacking options.

"I guess it is only human nature, but I have been asked what it was like to watch him play so well at No 10, the position I like to play," Wilkinson added.

"The answer is simple: it was fantastic and I was genuinely delighted for him."

Wilkinson said his reaction to someone playing in his position had changed from earlier in his career when Charlie Hodgson was his main rival for the standoff berth.

"When Charlie was playing well, marshaling the game and really asserting himself, I'd know the camera was panning in on me.

"But I've now got a better handle on it. Now I think: 'It's so simple, it's not about me it's about the team.'

"Does it affect me that no one's going to wave at me in the street anymore? No it doesn't. They'll be waving at Danny after Saturday's game and deservedly so."

Agencies

(China Daily 03/18/2008 page22)