Eddie Jones ‘like a horny teenager’ – Danny Cipriani reveals what went on in England camp
Eddie Jones and Danny Cipriani in England training.
Former England fly-half Danny Cipriani has stated that Eddie Jones made him “uncomfortable” while they were in camp.
After Jones took the role, many felt that the Australian would bring back the maverick Cipriani, who had been sidelined by previous Red Rose boss Stuart Lancaster.
In the 35-year-old’s soon-to-be published autobiography Who am I?, which has been serialised in The Times, he revealed that the head coach was more interested in his private life during a training camp in 2016.
Happened at dinner
“It’s May 2016, and Eddie’s picked me for a three-day training camp at Pennyhill Park,” Cipriani said in his memoir.
“We’re all out for dinner on day one, I’m sitting at the end of the table and Eddie comes and sits next to me.
“The first words out of his mouth are, ‘Mate, doesn’t Kirsty Gallacher live around here? Haven’t you shagged her? What’s she like?’
“I’ve just split up with Kirsty, after a short relationship, and it’s not something I want to talk to my head coach about, or anyone else for that matter. Eddie keeps pecking, like a horny teenager, and in the end I tell him straight, ‘Eddie, I don’t want to talk about this, it’s making me uncomfortable.’”
Cipriani was arguably the form fly-half in England for several years, but he was rarely involved while Jones was in charge.
His form became too good to ignore in 2018 and he started as the Red Rose defeated South Africa 25-10 in Cape Town.
That would prove to be his last appearance for England as he was discarded by the head coach looking towards the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Just two conversations with Jones
“After leaving me out of his squad for the 2016 autumn internationals, Eddie says I’m only happy being No 1, the main man, insinuating I’d be disruptive if I wasn’t in the starting XV,” Cipriani added.
“Owen Farrell’s injured, so is his Saracens understudy Alex Lozowski, who left Wasps after I signed, is picked ahead of me.
“Eddie has had two conversations with me, the first when he pulled apart my man-of-the-match display against France, the second when he wanted to know who I’d been shagging.
“If he really got to know me, he’d realise I’d happily sit on the bench for England. I can only conclude that Eddie doesn’t want to understand, that’s it’s more convenient and easier for him to judge me on my past.”
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