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Danny Cipriani vows to “do everything I can” to keep the England No10 jersey

Andrew Baldock

18:58 13/08/2018

Danny Cipriani has vowed to “do everything I can” to remain firmly in the England picture after making his first Test match start for 10 years.

Cipriani ended England’s summer tour of South Africa in the number 10 shirt, helping them beat the Springboks in Cape Town.

He also has a new club, reporting for Gloucester training last week and relishing being a driving force at the west country giants after leaving their Premiership rivals Wasps.

With the next Rugby World Cup just over a year away, the new season could prove a definitive one in 30-year-old Cipriani’s career.

Asked if he had returned from South Africa hungrier than ever, he said: “Yeah, definitely.

“But you’ve seen me for the last six seasons. I’ve been hungry and my focus hasn’t changed at all.”

Cipriani ended the three-Test tour with a tangible reward of an England starting place, and is fresh from a three-day training camp with Eddie Jones’ squad.

“My philosophy hasn’t changed,” he added. “I am trying to become a better Rugby player, and I’m in the right place to keep learning and play well.

“I’ve got back in. Right now, I’m in there, and I’ve got to do everything I can to stay there.”

Cipriani has settled seamlessly into life at Kingsholm, and he is relishing striking up a rapport with Gloucester fans he knows all about after a hostile reception as a visiting player in Wasps and Sale colours.

“It was just banter,” he said. “They used to shout out my ex-girlfriends’ names at me. It used to make me laugh.

“It’s such a tradition here at Gloucester – the Shed (terrace) – playing in front of it and the history behind it. I want to really do something special for this town, because if you get on a roll here, the whole of Gloucester just goes crazy.

“I will definitely be playing up to them – kissing the badge when I score!”

Cipriani’s move to Gloucester surprised some – he had been consistently linked with top French clubs – but he has no doubt it was the right call.

“I had the luxury of signing pretty late,” he added. “Most teams had done their recruitment by then, so I could see who had recruited well and what the squads looked like.

“There is so much talent here, and what I have really learnt to do over the last few years is help the players around me play well. That’s what I will be trying to do here.

“When I met Johan (Ackermann, Gloucester head coach) and David (Humphreys, Rugby director) at the end of the season, that’s when I knew this felt like the right decision.

“I had been waiting for that (England) squad announcement, and when that happened I met Johan and David and knew that this was the place for me.”

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