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Danny Cipriani dropped from Sale Sharks squad

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Cipriani the flop can't even make the bench for Sale as Mitchell shakes things up

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UPDATED:

22:30 GMT, 21 December 2012


Axed: Cipriani's form is woeful

Axed: Cipriani's form is woeful

Danny Cipriani’s turbulent career took another severe hit on Friday when he was left out of Sale’s crucial Aviva Premiership trip to old club Wasps on Sunday.

The 25-year-old is the biggest casualty of a new regime imposed by the uncompromising John Mitchell, the former All Blacks coach, to try to lift the relegation-threatened club.

Cipriani joined Sale last summer and had hopes of an England recall, but has lost his place to Nick Macleod, who is seen as more reliable and sturdy in tight contests.

His demise has prompted talk of Sale trying to move him on, despite having signed a three-year deal.

Mitchell has decided Cipriani’s form is so poor that he cannot even gain a place on the bench. He prefers South African journeyman Corne Uys as back-up to Macleod. Cipriani’s undoing seems to be his oft-criticised tackling, which was exposed in the 62-0 trouncing by Toulon, the French big spenders, last Sunday in the Heineken Cup.

Mitchell, who joined last month as a consultant, made spiky comments after the game, questioning one or two of his new players’ attitudes.

‘Some of the characters have been revealed,’ he said of a squad who were expected to challenge for honours.

Now, after a disastrous first four months, Sale, six points adrift, must win their next two games against moderate Wasps on Sunday, and at home to Worcester next Friday to give themselves hope in 2013.

Sale watchers believe that Mitchell has decided Cipriani has been given every opportunity to prove his worth by starting 11 games, while injury-hit Macleod has begun only six.

Humiliation: Sale were hammered by Toulon in the Heineken Cup

Humiliation: Sale were hammered by Toulon in the Heineken Cup

Turbulent times of a rugby rebel

2006: Joins Wasps after glittering schoolboy career.

Mar 2008: Picked for England v Scotland in Six Nations but omitted for ‘inappropriate behaviour’ after attending a nightclub before match.

Oct 2008: Alleged training ground fight at Wasps involving Josh Lewsey.

Feb 2010: Complaints from management about behaviour on England Saxons trip to Italy. Joins Melbourne Rebels.

Feb 2011: Accused of taking a bottle of vodka from behind a bar. Docked match fee by Rebels and dropped for three games.

Aug 2012: Returns to Sale.

A hint of Mitchell’s thinking came 10
days ago before Sale played their home European pool game against
Toulon. Mitchell initially picked Rob Miller at fly-half only for
Cipriani, who had been ill, to be called up in a reshuffle the day
before.

Cipriani looked to have made a decent impression, and he appeared
optimistic after the narrow 17-6 defeat and talked about thriving in
Mitchell’s ‘new beginning’.

But that was before the trip to Toulon where Sale subsided after
half-time to concede nine tries in all. ‘I certainly know a lot more
about some individuals after that performance,’ added Mitchell.

Cipriani seems to have taken his omission from a return to his old club
philosophically, judging by tweets to his 270,000 followers.

He wrote on Thursday: ‘If you got to over think, is it right If the
issue has to be forced, is it right If it falls on deaf ears, what do
you do #life.’

Philosophical: The former Wasps fly half has failed to live up to his potential

Philosophical: The former Wasps fly half has failed to live up to his potential

For Sale, the Cipriani issue is a sideshow to a terrible season that started with a 43-6 hammering at Exeter.

After they lost at home to promoted London Welsh three games later,
forwards coach Steve Scott was dismissed. Bryan Redpath, the new
director of rugby, was about to be demoted in a shake-up carried out by
chief executive Steve Diamond.

Diamond talked about bringing in a ‘yard dog’ to give Sale more bite and
recruited Mitchell, who was a player-coach at the club 14 years ago, to
help a new management team.

But the link-up might come to an end in February if Mitchell, who has
ties in South Africa, takes up television work for the Super 15 season.

Sale have had a round of cost-cutting while back-room officials were
embroiled in a row on Friday with supporters who complained they had
been abused by a staff member on Facebook for moaning too much. ‘Utter
shambles,’ retorted a fan.

Sale 25 Saracens 23

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Sale 25 Saracens 23: Miller strikes late to earn Sharks narrow win

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UPDATED:

22:22 GMT, 16 November 2012

Rob Miller's late penalty secured Sale Sharks' first triumph of this season's LV= Cup at the expense of Saracens at the Salford City Stadium.

Tries by Kameli Ratuvou and Joel Tomkins to go alongside 10 points from the boot of Nils Mordt gave Sarries a 20-12 half-time advantage, with Sale's response before the interval coming through Mark Cueto's score and a penalty try.

A Fraser McKenzie touchdown and a Danny Cipriani penalty took the Sharks into the lead before Ben Spencer's three-pointer edged the visitors ahead again, but Miller slotted a late penalty to earn the victory for the hosts.

Narrow win: Sale celebrate on their way to beating Saracens

Narrow win: Sale celebrate on their way to beating Saracens

With a vital Aviva Premiership encounter against Gloucester looming, Sale chose to select a weaker outfit to the one that had gone down 34-28 to London Irish the previous week.

However, it still looked stronger on paper than a Saracens team which rested the majority of their star players, particularly with Dwayne Peel and Cipriani starting at half-back for the hosts.

And the seven-times capped England international showed his quality from the off when a superb cut-out pass put Corne Uys in space.

The centre then produced a similarly sublime piece of skill to send Cueto away in the corner unopposed. Jordan Davies missed the conversion, but the home side led 5-0 after three minutes.

That advantage did not last long, though, as two scores in as many minutes put the visitors in front.

Firstly, Mordt slotted a penalty when Sale were penalised for holding on before a length-of-the-field move ended in Ratuvou touching down.

Instigated by Nick Auterac, the prop showed impressive pace to run 40 metres. Excellent support work and good hands from forwards and backs alike put the Fijian in space, and he did the rest.

Charge: Kearnan Myall of Sale Sharks is tackled by Ben Ransom of Saracens

Charge: Kearnan Myall of Sale Sharks is tackled by Ben Ransom of Saracens

It seemed to unsettle the Manchester-based outfit and Ben Ransom almost extended the away team's lead, but his jinking run was halted metres from the line.

That missed opportunity was to prove costly as the Sharks proceeded to go up the other end and score when referee Llyr ApGeraint Roberts awarded a penalty try for collapsing a maul.

But Saracens always looked dangerous with ball in hand. Another Ransom break set up a penalty opportunity which Mordt duly converted to take it to 13-12 in the visitors' favour.

Sarries full-back Ransom then rounded off an outstanding individual performance in the first half as a third menacing run allowed Tomkins to cross the whitewash, with Mordt adding the extras from out wide.

As conditions worsened for the start of the second period, the match became scrappy, but Eoin Sheriff offered the hosts hope after he was sin-binned for repeated team infringements.

And Sale took advantage of the extra man as McKenzie evaded two weak tackles to go over, Davies converting.

Cipriani and Spencer then traded three-pointers as Sarries held a one-point lead going into the closing stages, before Miller's late effort from the tee gave the Sharks victory.

Leicester 24 Newcastle 13: Toby Flood boost for England

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Leicester 24 Newcastle 13: Flood boost for England as Tigers book semi-final spot

Leicester booked themselves an LV= Cup semi-final spot after seeing off the challenge of Newcastle at Welford Road.

Toby Flood came through half an hour
of action from the bench in a boost to the England management, as the
home fly-half returned from a knee injury with no ill-effects.

back in action: Leicester's Toby Flood

Back in action: Leicester's Toby Flood

His side had been on top as early as the seventh minute, turning down a kickable penalty to opt for an attacking lineout in the left corner. Their gamble paid off as number eight Thomas Waldrom was barged over the line among a heap of bodies, with Jeremy Staunton's conversion thumping off the right post and bouncing over the crossbar.

Leicester's lead was quickly into double figures as Staunton made easier work of a pair of penalties from out in front, both on the back of sustained forward pressure. Jimmy Gopperth got Newcastle off and running with two similarly straightforward penalties, just a day after committing his long-term future to the Falcons.

Staunton's third midway through the half kept the Tigers comfortably in front, and when Tim Swinson was penalised for not releasing the tackled player, the Irish stand-off sent over a fourth to take the half-time lead to 19-6.

Big hit: Matt Smith of Leicester Tigers is tackled by Ryan Shortland of Newcastle Falcons

Big hit: Matt Smith of Leicester Tigers is tackled by Ryan Shortland of Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle's woes were further compounded by the recurrence of Corne Uys' groin injury, with the South African centre forced from the field after aggravating the problem picked up on Boxing Day at Sale Sharks.

Leicester legend John Wells sat in the stands in his first game as part of the new-look Falcons management team, and watched on as James Fitzpatrick's line break threatened to produce a try for the visitors, only for Ryan Shortland to knock on in contact.

The Tigers were having no such problems turning their pressure into points, and in the 50th minute London Irish-bound lock George Skivington nipped in for their second try round the fringes of a close-range ruck.

Snow way: Newcastle's Mark Wilson on the charge

Snow way: Newcastle's Mark Wilson on the charge

Newcastle were by no means a spent force, however, despite being 18 points in arrears.

Samoan international flanker Taiasina Tu'ifua emerged from the bench to make yards with his straight running, setting up the five-metre scrum from which his side profited.

Will Chudley whipped the ball out to Gopperth at first receiver and the Kiwi utilised superb decoy running from Jamie Helleur to scurry between the posts, adding the conversion himself.

Tu'ifua's 67th-minute sin-binning for killing a ruck within sight of his own line saw momentum swing once again, with Chudley forced into a pair of try-saving tackles as Leicester exploited the increasing gaps.

Sale 27 Newcastle 19: Macleod kicks Sharks to victory to pile misery on lowly Falcons

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Sale 27 Newcastle 19: Macleod kicks Sharks to victory to pile misery on lowly Falcons

Nick Macleod won the kicking battle as Sale beat Newcastle to return to the Aviva Premiership play-offs and leave their opponents at the foot of the table.

Sale had taken a 16-0 lead after 24 minutes through three Macleod penalties and a converted Tom Brady try, but Newcastle mounted a comeback.

After Macleod and Jimmy Gopperth had traded further three-pointers, substitute Jeremy Manning went over to reduce the gap to 19-10 at half-time.

Gopperth continued to boot the Falcons back into the game and narrowed the gap to three points before England wing Mark Cueto touched down to effectively seal the win.

Up and under: Sale captain Sam Tuitupou puts in a kick

Up and under: Sale captain Sam Tuitupou puts in a kick

The Sharks have arguably been the Premiership”s surprise package this season by playing with endeavour and pace, and that was perfectly illustrated in the opening moments.

Despite Newcastle having most of the early play, it was Sale who drew first blood through Brady.

Corne Uys” departure had already caused a back line reshuffle when the youngster took advantage of the Falcons” midfield confusion.

And after receiving a static pass from Dwayne Peel, the winger broke the gain line before darting fully 60 metres to touchdown for a superb individual score.

Macleod added the extras before kicking a superb long-range penalty to open up an early 10-point lead after eight minutes.

Solo effort: Tom Brady of Sale breaks free on his way to scoring the opening try

Solo effort: Tom Brady of Sale breaks free on his way to scoring the opening try

Newcastle continued to have most of the territory but it was Sale who were taking advantage of the visitors” poor discipline.

From a scrum penalty, an area of weakness for the Sharks in the previous couple of seasons, Macleod slotted his second three-pointer.

He then added another from the tee before Newcastle eventually got on the board.

Recent signing Suka Hufanga”s scything break into the hosts” 22 was unceremoniously ended by a high tackle.

And Gopperth kicked the resulting opportunity, but the Kiwi”s opposite number responded immediately with his fourth penalty.

To their credit, the Falcons continued to press and were rewarded when Manning barrelled through three would-be tacklers to score in the corner.

Adrift: Newcastle remain bottom of the table

Adrift: Newcastle remain bottom of the table

Gopperth scuffed the conversion but it managed to sneak between the uprights as they deservedly got themselves back into the game at the break.

The second period continued in the same vein as the first with Sale attempting to play from deep, and it nearly paid off when James Gaskell off-loaded to prop Alasdair Dickinson, but the move broke down in the opposing 22.

However, the Falcons carried on their impressive recovery when Gopperth kicked his second penalty.

Another one followed as the Sharks were seemingly starting to do what they did against Exeter and concede a sizeable lead.

But naivety from Newcastle on their own put in at the scrum saw Sale steal the ball and feed it out to Cueto who showed excellent footballing skills to touch down.

Gopperth reduced the arrears with a penalty, but Macleod added another to seal the win and leave Newcastle in perilous danger of being relegated.