Former England head coach turned Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has struck back at Danny Cipriani following statements the former flyhalf has made in recent days.
Labelling Cipriani's comments as "absurd, fabrication and f****** nonsense," Jones said he wasn't taking Cipriani's points too seriously.
“We didn’t have a close relationship, so I’m hardly going to engage in a conversation like that with him," said Jones.
“To be quite frank, it’s a complete fabrication. We didn’t select him. When players don’t get selected, they always have an axe to grind – we know that.
“He’s selling a book, so nothing surprises me when players want to sell books. It’s absurd. It’s almost too absurd to talk about. I think it’s very sad for him that he feels he has to make something up to sell his book.”
Referring to a statement in Cipriani's book, where he claims Jones made a remark regarding a purported involvement between the former Wasps player and Scottish TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, Cipriani asserts that the Wallabies boss inquired of him, "Mate, doesn't Kirsty Gallacher live around here? Haven't you shagged her? What's she like?"
Jones shot back by saying, “That’s hardly the sort of language I would use. It’s not how I speak to players. In all the years I’ve coached, there would be very few conversations like that with players.
“It’s not to say I haven’t had a conversation like that, but there would have been very few – and certainly not with Cipriani.”
Sam Warburton makes FOUR bold World Cup predictions
Former Wales and Lions captain Sam Warburton has made four bold predictions for the fast approaching 2023 World Cup, including who'll win the whole thing.
#1. World Cup winner
Warburton wrote: "France. It will take a mammoth performance to beat them on home soil in what will be a carnival-like experience every game that they play."
#2. Who will make the semi-finals
Warburton said: "England vs France and Argentina vs Ireland.
"Semi-final will be a minimum exception (for England) from this new squad and coaches. Third place and above will be a success."
#3. Player of the tournament
Warburton said: Ardie Savea. He would have been my world player of the year for 20222 and has become a pivotal figure for the All Blacks since his debut in 2016."
#4. Breakout star
Warburton wrote: "Apologies for the Welsh bias but where a lot of other teams have stable squads and will tinker very little, Mason Grady could have a real impact at centre or on the wing for Warren Gatland's side."
