Gloucester Rugby fly-half Danny Cipriani says his side is ready to move on from ‘place of discomfort’ after one win in six games.
Last weekend, a strong second-half performance from the Cherry and Whites saw them secure a 26-17 bonus-point win over Connacht to keep their Champions Cup hopes alive. Having got two losing bonus points from the opening two rounds in narrow loses to Toulouse and Montpellier, Gloucester now sit second in Pool 5 behind Toulouse.
The former England Fly-Half looked back in his rhythm last Sunday after a spell in which he couldn’t replicate his form of last season. Cipriani’s game management and kicking stole the show, including a flat cross-field kick which has divide opinion on social media as to whether it was intentional.
The victory over Connacht will please Johan Ackermann and his men but Danny Cipriani knows a win in the reverse fixture this Saturday is as important.
Danny Cipriani ready to move on
“It’s a great chance to build momentum, I think it’s a great chance for us as a group to put our stamp on it.
“Every single game is a chance for us to leave something out there, an impression of ourselves and who we are and what we represent.” Said Cipriani.
The challenge of Galway
Galway will offer up a different environment to Kingsholm on Saturday with its unpredictable weather. According to Cipriani, Gloucester is ready for that, saying:
“There’s a matter of different types of conditions. There is so much you can worry about, the opposition, the referee you might have, different tactic changes but mostly we have to focus on ourselves and what we can improve.
“That’s our line of work and that’s what we’re about.” Said the 32-year-old.
Gloucester announced their side to travel to Ireland this morning, with Danny Cipriani featuring on the bench with Lloyd Evans moving into the starting role.
“For myself, I think it’s understanding you’ve got a role to play, to execute and have got to be accountable for what you’re doing.”
Cipriani later said: “As a group, it’s been a test in time with those five losses, it does feel wasted with each one being so close.
“Are we getting beat or are we handing them the victory? It’s understanding that we can take control of everything that is to come in front of us.”
A place of discomfort
The former Wasps and Sale Sharks man has a mindset that perhaps differs from the average player. His outlook seems particularly philosophical and responses are deeper than the average cliched response.
Danny Cipriani has seen the past five weeks as a positive for Gloucester, saying:
“It’s pretty beautiful to experience it. To be involved in something that’s so disjointed, how then do you find something as a collective and that’s what we’ve been fighting for on these last couple weeks.” Said the No.10.
“We’re in a great position to move forward as a group, We’ve got some great personalities and some great characters that we are trying to keep pushing to excel so I’m excited for the next couple of weeks.
“I think sometimes from a place of discomfort change has to happen, it’s the only thing that can happen.”
Cipriani likes to use other areas of life for inspiration. Whether it’s how Cooper Cronk kicks a ball for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL or inspiration from further afield.
Cipriani continued: “It’s been my experience viewing within rugby. it’s been my experience when looking into great inventors.
“They only create greatness from a place of discomfort. When you have a place of discomfort that’s when you have to find some change, you might not create greatness but at least you’re on a search to find change.
“It’s what it seems like the collective has done and we as a group are trying to do together.”
Danny Cipriani reflects on 2019
2019 has been one of Cipriani’s finest in recent years with his RPA Player of the Year award but suffered disappointment as he missed out on England’s Rugby World Cup squad.
However, Cipriani has used this in a positive manner, saying:
“You’ll be blessed from the lows because, without them, you don’t create the highs. You learn from every one of them.
“Everything that happens you can make sure you go internal, whatever it is whether it’s good or bad.
“Just take a step back look at it and try and think of it from an outside point of view and not from emotion in ourselves to make good decisions that way. Whether it will be a lifestyle or on the field.” Said the fly-half.
Cipriani committed his next two years to the west country club in 2019 and didn’t have to think twice about re-signing.
“I was always happy and ready to sign.
“For me it was a given, it was a group environment that the group had created. As a group, I really enjoy being around them, and hopefully we can start doing some great things.”
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