CIPRIANI EXCITED AT RETURN AGAINST BATH
Danny Cipriani is itching to hear his name announced over the Adams’ Park Tannoy on Wednesday when, after an absence of four months, he will step out wearing London Wasps’ No10 shirt, as his team host Bath in the Guinness Premiership.
The 20-year-old wunderkind had been expected to be sidelined until November after horrifically dislocating and fracturing his right ankle in May’s semi-final against, ironically, this evening’s opponents.
He missed out on Wasps’ Guinness Premiership success against Leicester Tigers and England’s ill-fated tour to New Zealand, but has been working around the clock to return six weeks ahead of schedule – “quite incredible” according to Ian McGeechan, Wasps’ Director of Rugby.
“I was working from nine in the morning with Prav Mathema, the Wasps head physio, and then in the day with Margot Wells, a sprint coach, before more physio with specialist Kevin Lidlow at nine in the evening,” said Cipriani, who enjoyed an impressive full international debut against Ireland in March.
“I'm glad it is over now and I can't wait to get on the field again – it's going to be emotional. I will have to calm myself as I am just going to be so excited when my name is called before the game.”
The timing couldn’t be better for Wasps who, after registering their first win of the season last Friday against Leicester, sit tenth in the table. Skipper Raphael Ibanez and Tim Payne also return from injury in the front row for Wasps, as does lock Simon Shaw. But second-placed Bath will be most wary of the fly-half’s return – all three times the teams met last year, Wasps won and teetotaller Cipriani scored 36 points.
On playing Bath, he added: “It's a bit strange how coincidence throws these things up, but it'll be good just to get back. It doesn't feel in my head like I have had a major injury – I have
just had a bit of time away from the game.
"But I just want to get back to where I was last season and do so with a smile on my face."
Danny Cipriani is itching to hear his name announced over the Adams’ Park Tannoy on Wednesday when, after an absence of four months, he will step out wearing London Wasps’ No10 shirt, as his team host Bath in the Guinness Premiership.
The 20-year-old wunderkind had been expected to be sidelined until November after horrifically dislocating and fracturing his right ankle in May’s semi-final against, ironically, this evening’s opponents.
He missed out on Wasps’ Guinness Premiership success against Leicester Tigers and England’s ill-fated tour to New Zealand, but has been working around the clock to return six weeks ahead of schedule – “quite incredible” according to Ian McGeechan, Wasps’ Director of Rugby.
“I was working from nine in the morning with Prav Mathema, the Wasps head physio, and then in the day with Margot Wells, a sprint coach, before more physio with specialist Kevin Lidlow at nine in the evening,” said Cipriani, who enjoyed an impressive full international debut against Ireland in March.
“I'm glad it is over now and I can't wait to get on the field again – it's going to be emotional. I will have to calm myself as I am just going to be so excited when my name is called before the game.”
The timing couldn’t be better for Wasps who, after registering their first win of the season last Friday against Leicester, sit tenth in the table. Skipper Raphael Ibanez and Tim Payne also return from injury in the front row for Wasps, as does lock Simon Shaw. But second-placed Bath will be most wary of the fly-half’s return – all three times the teams met last year, Wasps won and teetotaller Cipriani scored 36 points.
On playing Bath, he added: “It's a bit strange how coincidence throws these things up, but it'll be good just to get back. It doesn't feel in my head like I have had a major injury – I have
just had a bit of time away from the game.
"But I just want to get back to where I was last season and do so with a smile on my face."
Labels: Daniel Cipriani, Guinness Premiership, Ian McGeechan, Wasps
