Cipriani stars as England finish with Irish flourish

Danny Cipriani turned in a commanding display on his full debut as England ended a disappointing Six Nations campaign with a 33-10 victory over Ireland at Twickenham here Saturday.

The 20-year-old Wasps outside-half, the only change to the starting side beaten 15-9 by Scotland last weekend after 2003 World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson was controversially dropped to the bench by coach Brian Ashton, made his mark both with the boot and in open play.

Cipriani, dropped by Ashton two days before the Scotland game after being seen outside a nightclub after midnight, landed all seven of his goalkicks with England's other points coming from tries from Paul Sackey, blood replacement Mathew Tait and Jamie Noon.

"I know it was my first start but I've played this game in my head a million times and I was up to four o'clock in the morning thinking about it," Cipriani said of his sparkling performance.

"When the forwards play like they did it makes it easy for a number 10," he added modestly.

Victory, England's first in five attempts against Ireland, gave the much-criticised Ashton some breathing space after the team's slump since reaching the World Cup final.

Not that Ashton saw it that way.

"Every time England play there's a massive weight on your shoulders.

The pressure goes with the job," he said.

Meanwhile Ashton tried to keep Cipriani's display in perspective.

"The team played exceptionally well, it wasn't a one-man band. He was pretty pleased with his performance and we're resonably pleased as well.

"My own position is at this moment im time, I'm not making any decision," O'Sullivan said.

"After each tournament I meet with the Irish Rugby Football Union and we discuss what's happened," he added after a second straight defeat following last weekend's 16-12 loss at home to Wales.

Ireland opened the scoring in the fourth minute following a quick tap penalty by scrum-half Eoin Reddan.

A long cut-out pass from Ronan O'Gara, captaining the side in the absence of the injured Brian O'Driscoll, found Geordan Murphy.

The full-back's neat pass to Robert Kearney saw the left wing in for a try. Outside-half O'Gara converted and Ireland were 7-0 up.

O'Gara then extended Ireland's lead to 10-0 with a 40 metre penalty after England full-back Iain Balshaw had held on too long in the tackle.

"We wanted to express ourselves and we did that for the first 10-15 minutes. But then we sat back, let them come at us and struggled to get forward momentum," O'Gara said.

England's forwards provided Cipriani with a steady supply of possession.

And in the 12th minutes he made no mistake with a penalty after Ireland lock Paul O'Connell handled in a ruck.

Cipriani, winning his third cap after replacement appearances against Wales and Italy, was also involved in the move that drew England level.

After a good burst by wing Sackey took England into Irish territory, openside flanker Michael Lipman charged on and the ball came back to Cipriani.

His pass found Jamie Noon and the centre sent-in Sackey on the overlap for a 19th minute try which Cipriani converted to level the scores.

Cipriani produced a delightful, defence-splitting, inside pass to Noon and only a last-ditch combined tackle from wing Tommy Bowe and Murphy, who later went-off with a calf injury stopped him scoring a try.

Cipriani, like Wilkinson a left-footed kicker then edged England 13-10 in front with a penalty.

Early in the second-half he was at it again before O'Gara missed a kickable penalty to England six points ahead.

Wilkinson came on the field to huge cheers as a replacement for injured Newcastle colleague Toby Flood and took his place in the centres, where he started his Test career.

But it was another Newcastle man who scored the decisive second try.

Cipriani, with Wilkinson acting as a decoy runner, found Lesley Vainikolo and the wing in turn found Tait, on as a blood replacement for Sackey, for a try in the corner that left England 23-10 and two scores ahead.

Cipriani, on a surface made wet by falling rain, slipped as he took the conversion, but the ball still went between the posts.

Noon then crossed for a converted try off the back of a close-range scrum before Cipriani added to Ireland's woes with a fourth penalty.

Final Score England 33 Ireland 10 (ht 13-10)

England
Tries - Paul Sackey, Matt Tait, Jamie Noon
Pen - Danny Cipriani (4)
Con - Danny Cipriani (3)