Cipriani magic can get Bath back in the title mix

It’s hard to say if Danny Cipriani is the missing piece to get Bath back on top – and whether he can change things on his own – but his job will be a lot easier if he has a formidable pack in front of him. It just makes life so much easier for the half-backs.

- JEREMY GUSCOTT

For some inexplicable reason Bath went from finishing fourth in 2020 to eighth last season with pretty much the same playing personnel. Now they go again with a new man at the reins capable of producing sublime rugby.

Danny brings an X-factor to attacking rugby, especially as we don’t see that much of it these days. But with the reality of where we are now, with no relegation for two seasons, we should see a lot more attacking rugby.

If you think that Harlequins won the title playing the kind of rugby they did because of no relegation last season, attacking rugby should be in vogue for the next two seasons at least which should be extremely encouraging for Danny as he can show off his full ability.

I don’t know of a more experienced attacking mind on a rugby field in the Premiership. There are other top class 10s in the Premiership and Saracens are back up with Owen Farrell at 10. But Cipriani has an edge in attacking terms.

Farrell is 30 next month and has been around the Premiership since he was a teenager, so his experience is invaluable – but Danny’s attacking flair in reading defences and his ability to put the ball into the space where a player should be running is the difference between the two.

Farrell likes the modern-day attacking shape – which we see Saracens and England do a lot – and he’s brilliant at it. Then there’s the old-fashioned style of attack, wherefrom quick ball an overlap is created so you go through the hands to exploit it.