Danny Cipriani thought he had played his last game of rugby and had no desire to get back on to the field, but he will be back in action at Headingley this afternoon to support his former Gloucester clubmate Ed Slater raise funds to help research into motor neurone disease.
Cipriani, an outside-half whose determination to stand up to coaches restricted him to 16 England caps over 10 years, is based in Los Angeles where he is filming documentaries two years after he finished his career at Bath.
He rarely watches union, a sport he believes is fighting for survival because the spirit of players is being crushed under coaching, but flew out on Friday to show the respect he has for Slater, the 36-year-old second row who was diagnosed with MND two years ago, and to raise awareness of the condition.
The match at Headingley is a hybrid of league and union. It was devised by Slater and the rugby league international Rob Burrow who passed away in June after a long battle with MND. Called the 745 game after the numbers worn by Slater, Burrows and Doddie Weir, the Scotland and Lions lock who died two years ago having dedicated his final years to campaigning for funding to help find a cure for MND, it will feature the likes of Cipriani, Tom Youngs, Tom Wood, Adrian Morley, Keith Senior and Danny McGuire.
“I cannot wait to play in the game,” said Cipriani before flying to England. “I always wanted to play league, and as I understand it union rules will operate in your half and league in the opposition’s, and to represent Ed, Rob and Doddie.
“Rugby is a game of the people and they are three men who put their hearts on the line to raise awareness for those who have a disease for which there is no answer. They are my driving force, not playing rugby again.”
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