5 Things Danny Cipriani Must Do to Earn an England World Cup Spot

From rags to riches and back again, Danny Cipriani has re-established his name in the international arena and is very much in the pool of England players being considered for a spot at this year's Rugby World Cup.

The Sale Sharks fly-half sat as George Ford's understudy during the Six Nations after being called up as a surprise candidate, but there once again rings a sense of belief in his ability.

Cipriani isn't the only one vying to land a place in Stuart Lancaster'side, however, with the likes of Owen Farrell, Henry Slade and Stephen Myler also seeking to impress in the No. 10 jersey.

The 27-year-old now has five months to ensure he's considered a shoo-in for the World Cup squad. Here we examine some of the checkpoints he'll need to tick off in order to make the cut.

1. Accept George Ford Is the Man of the Moment

Michael Steele/Getty Images

It's frequently put that acceptance is the final step in the grieving process, but considering Cipriani's World Cup hopes are something far more positive than that, it's fitting the path should be reversed in this instance.

Quite simply, it would take a collapse of almighty proportions to see anyone other than the Bath fly-half George Ford starting for England in the foreseeable future.

Cipriani can't—and shouldn't—bank on his No. 10 rival picking up any sort of injury prior to the Rugby World Cup, which could in fact be the motivation he needs to raise his game.

That runners-up mentality can often coax the best out of a player, and considering it wasn't all that long ago Cipriani was considered an outright exile to the national team, he'll be glad to even hold the reserve spot.

The competition may not be so fierce that Cipriani need pin a picture of Ford's likeness on his dartboard, but healthy competition for playing time encourages maturity and teamwork, both of which he'll be glad to have.

2. Learn from Six Nations Campaign

Having endured a seven-year wait between his two Six Nations call-ups, the 2015 competition will have been an entirely new learning process for Cipriani, assuredly adamant not to start counting his chickens too soon.

Many were surprised to see Lancaster dub the 27-year-old Ford's backup, but it's pivotal he now seizes that opportunity by taking any new lessons he can in his stride.

A hint of egomania may be picked out as the root some of Cipriani's past woes, but a recent Instagram post, reported by The Telegraph, suggests his arrogance may well be dimmed these days:

"

It has been the best 8 weeks of my life. To be part of an incredible team, wear the red rose and represent my country. Couldn't be more proud.

Thank you for all the support, the messages and crowd reception has been humbling. Have learnt so much from the coaches and players in the last 8 weeks. Loved every minute. Feeling blessed.

"

Having been at rock bottom before, thanks in large part to his presence in the public eye, Cipriani should know not to take the things one holds so dear for granted.

He may not be the squad starlet any more, but the Sale talisman looks a more wise figure for his past mistakes and should be more capable of absorbing knowledge as a result.

3. Play Inside His Means

Cipriani arrived at Sale in 2012 with fairly low expectations surrounding his Premiership return, but that understated arrival has, in part, aided his resurgence back into English rugby's hierarchy.

In these crucial months leading up to the World Cup, it's more essential than ever that the Sale playmaker maintains the form that has gotten him to where he is now and not verge back toward the over-exuberant.

Flamboyance and unnecessary flash were pitfalls that previously landed Cipriani in trouble. They may have been a more welcome sight with Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby, but they can be forgotten about now.

The urge to impress in an effort to land a coveted World Cup squad spot will see some attempt to lift a larger burden than they can handle, and as a fly-half, Cipriani already has enough on his plate.

In short, staying true to the game that's seen him reinvent himself over the past two-and-a-half years, with no need for the extra bells or whistles, is something Cipriani must believe will get him to the promised land.

4. Keep off-Pitch Shenanigans to a Minimum

Perhaps the most critical guideline Cipriani must adhere to if he's to be among those featuring at the 2015 Rugby World Cup is ensure there is not even one shred of public controversy between now and September.

Ideally, one would like to say the fly-half's "bad boy" days are well and truly a thing of the past, but one can never be sure of those kinds of things.

Having spoiled his international involvement with a string of completely avoidable off-pitch incidents in the past, Cipriani has spent enough time in the paparazzi spotlight to last several lifetimes.

Now more than ever is the time to play things low key and simply get on with his rugby. When not playing, training, eating or sleeping, one can only hope he's filling in diary entries, as The Telegraph's Mark Bailey recently reported the maestro enjoys doing.

At this point, another spectacle involving alcohol or fighting could mean the end of his England career, but fingers crossed the new, more well-behaved Cipriani is here to stay.

5. Continue Promoting Gung-Ho Carrying Approach

Several slides ago, we made note of Cipriani's need to play things safe and not be too gung-ho from here, but that doesn't necessarily mean we'd like to see a complete bore in action.

After all, a great deal of the No. 10's appeal is the direct threat he brings with ball in hand. Writing for the Daily Mail, ex-England coach Sir Clive Woodward said that Cipriani would even have rivalled Jonny Wilkinson for a place in his team:

"

The Sale man’s skill-set is so complete. He poses an attacking threat with ball in hand and has a superb kicking game and world-class distribution. I think Wilkinson would have got the nod over him in the end but the fact I even mention them in the same breath shows how highly I rate Cipriani.

If England are to capitalise on their world-class pack they have to pick a fly-half who will instil fear in the opposition. George Ford has enormous potential, a great attitude and all the skills required to take the ball flat to the line and challenge opponents on the gainline. 

But if there’s one English fly-half opposition teams would not want to play against at the moment then it’s Cipriani. He’s also got the edge in experience.

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Lancaster, of course, doesn't want to see many mistakes from his potential selections over the next few months, but Cipriani can bring that something extra to the No. 10 position and has to let it shine.

Staving off injury is the other grave concern for all players at this time of the year, but Cipriani has an opportunity to force Sale into Europe and do his own bit of dazzling along the way.