Steve Diamond praises 'leader' Danny Cipriani - Ruck

Steve Diamond praises ‘leader’ Danny Cipriani

  • Sale Chief Steve Diamond insists Danny Cipriani deserve a place in England’s Six Nations squad
  • The Sharks number 10 was overlooked by Stuart Lancaster for the Rugby World Cup last year
  • Cipriani showed his influence as he kicked Sale to a 15-9 win against Wasps on Saturday
Sale boss Steve Diamond insisted Danny Cipriani deserves a place in England’s Six Nations squad after the fly-half’s superb individual display delivered a hard fought 15-9 Aviva Premiership win against Wasps at the AJ Bell Stadium on Saturday.

Cipriani was overlooked for England’s doomed World Cup campaign by Stuart Lancaster last autumn but is hoping to earn a recall for next month’s Northern hemisphere showpiece under new head coach Eddie Jones.

He said: “Danny played really, and he’s pushed into that potential England squad whenever it is announced. You learn more playing for a club like Sale where it doesn’t always go well.

“You have to learn how to develop as a player and Danny has done that over the past two or three years which is why he wants to stay around here for the next couple of years.

“He’s a leader by way of his skill sets, but he’s also a leader by way of his influence. In these conditions, he knows his skill isn’t always going to win us games. Instead, he needs to put us in field positions.

“He has got the full compliment of skills. It’s so rare these days but so valuable and he has the full skill set.

“He’s more mature as a player and he understands what he has got to do. He has worked really hard on his kicking over the past few weeks and his defence has also come on leaps and bounds and he is a real team player for us.”