By Neale Harvey
Gifted Gloucester centre Henry Trinder believes playing ‘minder’ to maverick fly-half Danny Cipriani will boost his own chances of an England autumn call-up.
Cipriani’s Kingsholm stint got off to a rocky start after his pre-season convictions for common assault and resisting arrest during a nightclub incident in Jersey.
However, the ex-Wasps playmaker has begun the season on fire and now lodges with Trinder, who is looking to build on a superb 2017/18 campaign that saw him bounce back from serious injury to feature for England against the Barbarians in May.
Trinder told The Rugby Paper: “Danny’s been great and what happened in Jersey quickly passed. It could have gone one of two ways, but everyone at Gloucester rallied behind him and he’s really appreciated that support and become stronger for it.
“Situations happen and when you’re high profile they become a bit bigger, but it hasn’t stopped him performing and it hasn’t been a distraction for us.
“He’s actually living with me at the moment and I’m looking after him. It’s great having him around because although we played together against the Crusaders on the 2014 tour of New Zealand, it’s the first time we’ve got to know each other properly.
“As an outside back, understanding what he wants is crucial and he’s had a fantastic start to the season personally, so hopefully we can move things on.”
Cipriani’s impact at Kingsholm has been immediate and long-serving Trinder, 29, added: “He’s been a great signing. He’s got so much skill, he’s focussed and he’s really helped raise the standards and give us direction of where this team wants to go.
“He’s brought a lot of detail that perhaps we were missing last year and he’s been nothing but fantastic for us so far. He brings enormous confidence and is now leading by example on and off the pitch, which is all you can ever ask of a No.10.
“His presence has definitely raised the intensity of training a few notches.”
After fearing for his own career 18 months ago following a series of long-term knee injuries, Trinder bounced back to enjoy one of his best-ever seasons, culminating in that England call-up.
The England competition at outside-centre is fierce, with Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi and Alex Lozowski among those trying to impress Red Rose boss Eddie Jones – plus injured Elliot Daly and Jonathan Joseph.
However, Trinder said: “It was great to be involved in the England squad in May and, after playing against the Barbarians at Twickenham, even though I had to come off early with a head knock, it has added fuel to my fire to push for a spot.
“My main target last season was to get through it, but to then put in good performances and be included in the training squad was the cherry on top. I loved my England experience so it’s definitely an environment I want to be in again.
“I learnt a lot off Eddie Jones. He’s very straight down the middle about what he’s thinking and I’ve benefitted from having a lot of good training at Gloucester over the summer to get back into things quickly.
“The competition is very high but all I can do is focus on trying to win games for Gloucester. If we can continue our good start to the season and be there or thereabouts in the top four, anything I can earn off the back of that would be great.”
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