Mavericks like Danny must choose their battlegrounds

DANNY Cipriani is not the first maverick player to not get capped as many times as the talent they possess suggests they should, and his recent departure from Gloucester again raises the question of how to get the best from players with exceptional gifts.

- JEREMY GUSCOTT

There are talented players all over the place, but the big thing is whether they have the personality to get on with those they are in closest contact with, whether it is coaches, other players, or the media.

The problem with mavericks is that they will have a run-in with someone, sometime, because criticism will at some stage become like a bear poking a bees’ nest. That is why gifted individuals have to learn to choose their battles and speak at the right time. Their talent gives them some leeway because it is unsurpassed, and therefore can transcend any difficulties they have in training, or off the field.

Cipriani has a colorful history, which I don’t intend to go through in detail here – but because of it, let’s just say that not too many people will be surprised that the fly-half has won only 16 England caps and that he has not played in a World Cup, or been on a Lions tour. That seems like a travesty when you consider how much talent Cipriani has – however when you hear other people’s stories about the challenges of playing with him, it becomes more understandable.

When Cipriani was continually left out by England bosses like Martin Johnson, Stuart Lancaster, and Eddie Jones, it was never a question of ability as much as if he fitted in with what they wanted to do as well as the other fly-halves available to them.

At Gloucester, it seems that Cipriani had a chat with coach George Skivington and one way or the other he was not able to reach an agreement with his old Wasps teammate about how the team would play. So, if Skivington wanted to play in a certain way, and Cipriani was not on the same page, then you can understand what has happened.