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Danny Cipriani has revealed he will finish his playing career at Gloucester after signing a new three-year deal and paid tribute to the work head coach Johan Ackermann has achieved since arriving from South Africa.
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Cipriani ended speculation linking him with another move in a career that has seen his exceptional talent constantly ignored by England by opting for a new Gloucester contract despite claims he could have opted out of the West Country club.
The influence of Ackermann, whose Gloucester side cemented third place in the Premiership with a 27-23 win over arch-rivals Bath, is one of the key reasons for Cipriani’s decision and he said: “The plan is after these three years to retire. We will see how that pans out and I will be 34 at the end of that season and it is has been a long stint and I have my best years ahead of me.
“There were a lot of key decisions to be made and negotiations and like Brexit it could have been done in January!
“The team’s performances underpin the way that Johan speaks because it is not just about rugby. It is also about growing and developing men and his message is about inspiring. He tells us stories about things he has heard and we are grateful to be able to do what we do, whether the boys understand the mentality or not it slowly penetrates minds.
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“Some people buy into it straight away and with others it takes time and over the course of last two seasons you can see the way this team plays for each other and it’s pretty outstanding. You are often a reflection of your head coach and I have learnt that in rugby. The way Johan he is can be seen on field with the skill, attacking, execution and shape that is down to the coaches. The coaches and players bring the attacking shape and we are all rooting for each other at the moment. This is a very unselfish team.”
"Cipriani… Almost disinterested!" ?
"I'm not looking, and neither are you!"
Danny Cipriani with the no-look, 360 assist? ?
Sounds about right… That is outrageous! pic.twitter.com/7YOqftsJq5
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 13, 2019
Cipriani, who has a groin injury, delivered a wonder “no look” pass to put prop Josh Hohneck in for a crucial first try after Gloucester fought back from 17-0 down and revealed he had pulled off the same sleight of hand to take Wales and Lions centre Jamie Roberts out of the play a few years ago. Roberts fell for the move again and Cipriani said: “I saw Jamie Roberts was opposite Josh and did something similar to him three years ago and I wanted to see if he had learnt!
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“It (groin) was touch and go and I didn’t train all week but I am not some kind of hero – it just happens – and I couldn’t run all week but then it settled down and I was able to run at around 60-70 percent.
“We have experienced guys in this team who have a lot of fight in them and they proved that. Willie Heinz is one of the best captains I have worked under and is very calm because we know that at any moment we can strike. It is going to be very tough playing against Exeter or Saracens and we are not in the play-offs yet and if you look at what they have built over the last decade and they are outstanding at what they do.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
22 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
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