Rugby-Cipriani likely beneficiary of Wilkinson injury

By John Mehaffey

LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Danny Cipriani is the likely beneficiary of the latest injury to England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, who has been ruled out of all rugby for five months.

Cipriani replaced the 2003 Rugby World Cup hero against Ireland in the last Six Nations championship but then sustained a serious ankle injury which kept him out of the off-season tour to New Zealand.

Wilkinson was the front-runner for the November tests against the Pacific Islands, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. In the meantime, though, Cipriani returned to action for his club Wasps ahead of schedule and is set to start against Castres in the Heineken Cup on Sunday.

In a podcast on the England rugby union website (www.rfu.com) head coach Martin Johnson praised the hard work put in by Cipriani to return to full fitness.

"It's great for Danny to be back. We have been in contact the whole way with him, as we would do with any injured player, and he has worked incredibly hard, as have the people around him," Johnson said.

"The number 10 position is very competitive -- there is some good depth there. Jonny is obviously the most experienced guy there, but Toby Flood is playing well at Leicester, Olly Barkley can play 10 and 12, so can Shane Geraghty, and Danny's back as well."

CIPRIANI TEXT  Continued...