Carling claims Cipriani isn't focused on Eng
12 February 2010 (17:45)
 |
| Danny Cipriani © Gallo Images |
England legend Will Carling has pulled the plug on his plan to
manage English star Danny Cipriani because he believes the Wasps
flyhalf has lost his desire to play for his country.
Carling, who captained England to three Grand Slams during the
1990s, wanted to help Cipriani get his international career back on
track and has spent the last six weeks in talks with the
22-year-old.
Cipriani won his last England cap against New Zealand in 2008
and has been restricted to the second-string Saxons since then.
His club future is also up in the air as his Wasps contract
expires at the end of this season and the club will announce next
week whether he features in their plans for next season.
Cipriani has been in contact with the new Super 15 franchise
Melbourne Rebels, a move that would halt his international career,
and Carling fears the player has lost his desire to reclaim the
England number 10 jersey.
Carling wrote on his blog at Rucku.com: "The reason the whole
concept appealed to me was that I believed here was a guy with a
special talent, who desperately wanted to play for England, and
maybe I could help him work things through with Wasps and England,
as I know the key personnel in both camps.
"I have spent the last six weeks trying to focus Danny and,
without laying the blame at anyone's door, the main reason that I
have decided not to go ahead is that I do not believe that Danny's
focus is on playing for England.
"That and that alone was my main motivation for getting involved
with him. It is not about money and certainly not about profile, it
was about helping him earn the England number 10 shirt.
"And, rightly or wrongly, I have concluded that his desire to
earn that shirt is not as strong as I want it to be and as strong
as it needs to be."
Carling consulted England manager Martin Johnson, Wasps head
coach Shaun Edwards and former internationals Josh Lewsey and Matt
Dawson during the process.
He added: "I sincerely hope that it is not a talent that is
never fulfilled in an England shirt but I worry that might be the
case and I just hope that sometime soon Danny focuses on England
and the hard work that will be necessary to earn his place in the
team."
Read more on the latest rugby news page.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
