Freddie Burns: I know what departing Danny Cipriani is going through

Leicester‘s Freddie Burns has backed fellow England fly-half Danny Cipriani to come through his contract sideshow unscathed.
Burns knows how damaging protracted contract speculation can be, having suffered a dip in form as his move from Gloucester to Leicester was played out so publicly in 2012/13.
While Cipriani has agreed to return to Wasps, Sale boss Steve Diamond threw another hand grenade into the mix when he said he’d be happy to let his star turn leave immediately.
Burns said: “Cips is a great player and I am sure he’ll be sweet and keep playing the rugby that he is.
“For me he has probably done the right thing and got it (the move to Wasps) done and dusted pretty quick.
“It is hard as a player with this six-month rule where you’re not allow to talk to clubs until January. It means that if you haven’t signed a new deal at your current club by November people start questioning you and supporters get edgy.”
Burns went through emotional turmoil when his future was being decided: “For me, it was an experience with how it all played out, and I’d probably play it out slightly different if I am in that position again.
“I’ve just signed a new two-year deal here at Leicester, which is good. I never want to be a journeyman, I want to settle at a club and give my all to the shirt.”
While the broken jaw Burns, 25, suffered in pre-season is now healed, he is still seeking advice about Bell’s palsy – a condition caused by cabin pressure on a flight home from Jamaica last summer which has affected his facial muscles around the eye area. He saw a neurologist on Thursday to determine whether he can recover fully.
“I’m still struggling with my eye a bit on match days, floodlights don’t really help. It has not affected my performance, so I wouldn’t use it as an excuse, but it is definitely something that has been hanging around longer than I’d like.”
Burns’ England ambitions are still bright but he admits he faces an uphill battle like Cipriani to get back to the top. The last of his five England caps was against New Zealand in June 2014.
“As players you’re aware of where you are in the pecking order and, for me, if I can play well for Leicester and get us into the semi-finals of the Premiership and play well in Europe, then I’ll be knocking on the door.
“For now, it’s all about concentrating on Leicester. One thing I learnt was I was maybe a bit too caught up in playing for England and playing the way they wanted to play and sort of took my eye off the ball at Leicester.
“So I just want to be enjoying my club rugby week-in week-out and if I am doing that and playing the way I can then I’m confident that I can do a job.
“Having said that, I do have huge ambitions for England, I’m not saying I’m just a club rugby man.
“I want to get back in that England shirt, contributing and playing in the big games, but that comes off the back of playing well for my club and that’s what I intend to do.”
JON NEWCOMBE