Nick Cain’s column: Danny Cipriani’s return gives Andy Farrell a dilemma

Danny Cipriani‘s decision to turn down a big-money move to France to join European champions Toulon shows how much he wants to play for England. By signing a new two-year deal with Sale Sharks, the 27-year-old fly-half has shown his commitment to the cause after a prolonged absence.
He marked his decision to stay put by scoring a try in his first Test appearance for England at Twickenham for seven years, when he came off the bench against Italy last weekend to sign off the 47-17 victory over Italy with a flourish.
In the process Cipriani showed that he is the most natural deputy for incumbent fly-half George Ford, because he and the Bath man have strong similarities in their approach. Cipriani is like Ford in that he plays flat and attacks the line to probe for openings, the ball moves quickly through his hands, and he is a fast, well-balanced runner.
This play-making and finishing ability was illustrated by the support line he took for his try, when he cut through to take a scoring pass on the inside after tracking Jonny May‘s break.
The reality is that if England need a replacement should Ford be injured then Cipriani provides the most seamless alternative. England’s attacking patterns, and potency, would remain largely intact in terms of the tempo and execution with Cipriani slotting into the line-up at 10.
After his Twickenham rebirth Cipriani said it was one of the highlights of his career, and he used the vogue word among professional sportsman – “humbling” – to describe the warm reception he received from the 82,000 crowd.
He also posted a message on Twitter to dedicate his try to his late friend, Peter, a lodger in his mum’s house who he adopted as his uncle. In it he said that during his bedside vigil in the last hours of Peter’s life, “he said it would be just my luck to score in my first opportunity”.
However, amid the feelgood factor surrounding the return of England’s prodigal son, there was also a strong sense that the England coaching hierarchy, headed by Stuart Lancaster, were probably not totally sold on the script.
While head coach Lancaster has assured Cipriani he considers him to be part of England’s long-term plans, neither the Sale fly-half nor the rest of us should take that to mean he is second in the England No.10 pecking order.
Irrespective of Cipriani’s ability as a playmaker, there is little doubt that if Owen Farrell had been fit for the Six Nations then the Sale 10 would not have been on the bench against either Italy or Wales.
As far as the England coaching hierarchy is concerned Farrell has a long line of credit in the selection bank because of a significant contribution to the first three years of Lancaster’s tenure. Farrell has proved himself to be one of the best goal-kickers in the international game – an area where Cipriani currently struggles – and his stalwart defensive qualities have also earned him many plaudits.
On top of that, his father, Andy Farrell, is part of Lancaster’s coaching inner circle.
As England backs coach, Farrell senior is in an influential position where selection is concerned.
These factors combined make it odds-on that when the knee ligament injury that has ruled son Owen out of the Six Nations clears up, he will be reinstated in the England match 23.
However, just as Owen Farrell is an obstacle for Cipriani going forward to the 2015 World Cup, the Saracens fly-half faces an obstacle of his own. Namely, his father.
From the inception of Andy Farrell’s appointment as England backs coach I argued in this column that there would be a problem coming down the track. From my perspective, it was never a matter of questioning Farrell’s integrity or objectivity regarding his son’s capabilities.
It was more the realisation that at any stage if team-mates, or coaches, or members of the public, complained that Andy Farrell was guilty of favouritism – irrespective of whether or not it contained any truth – it would have a corrosive effect on the England squad. The rumour of nepotism, true or false, is as damaging in a team sport as nepotism itself.
Now, with Cipriani, as well as Henry Slade and Stephen Myler, pushing for World Cup places, that unwanted scenario is fast becoming a reality.
With Owen Farrell losing form and eventually demoted to second in the fly-half pecking order behind Ford in the autumn, website commentators hiding behind pseudonyms have climbed into the Farrells.
Predictably, accusations of nepotism have done the rounds with Owen Farrell now dismissed as a no-hoper despite his sterling virtues as an elite marksman and tackler, and his accomplished footballing skills.
Given that it was Lancaster’s decision to bring Andy Farrell into the England coaching fold despite the delicate situation regarding his son, there is every chance the Farrells will try to tough it out and ignore any criticism.
However, if the clamour becomes loud enough with Cipriani, Slade and Myler also pressing their claims strongly, Farrell the coach may conclude that his only course of action is to resign.
*This article was first published in The Rugby Paper on February 22.