Contradictions and bemusement: Where is the logic in the madness that is Eddie Jones and Danny Cipriani?

It is rugby's biggest love-hate affair: everyone loves what Cipriani can offer the English game except the one man whose opinion matters most

Where to start with Danny Cipriani? Actually, let’s start with Eddie Jones. Where to start with Eddie Jones?

His decision to leave Cipriani out of the squad that will convene in Bristol on Sunday wasn’t really a surprise. What was a surprise – a big one, in fact – was that it apparently had nothing to do with his recent conviction for common assault and resisting arrest, and was all about the rugby he has played over the last three weeks.

Had Jones explained yesterday that two nights in a cell after yet another alcohol-fuelled incident and a criminal conviction had justified Cipriani’s omission, no one could have blamed him. What Cipriani did in Jersey last month by all accounts didn’t deserve international exile, but given he had already been given his final warning, the thin ice had well and truly cracked beneath him.

Yet, instead, Jones said that the decision to overlook the 30-year-old – which comes just three months after he inspired England to victory over South Africa to end their six-game losing streak – was based on the player’s form alone. The maths simply doesn’t add up.

The reaction on social media said it all. Ireland great Brian O’Driscoll said the decision “beggars belief” if it is due to his form; another England exile in Carl Fearns agreed through the form of creative Gif and even non-rugby stardom in Ian Botham had his say, with the former England cricketer asking if Jones has watched different games to the ones that he’s seen this season.

The sublime passes to Charlie Sharples and Jason Woodward that both led to tries for Gloucester may have stole the headlines, but more importantly the Cherry & Whites are unbeaten this season with Cipriani at the helm and have looked pretty damn good in the wins over Northampton and Bristol, too.

George Ford is also playing well this season, that much can be said. He appears to have the bit between his teeth once more with Geordan Murphy allowing him to play to his strengths, and along with Cipriani they lead the charts this season on clean breaks and try assists. There is a strong case to argue that with Owen Farrell covering both 10 and 12, there was room for both Cipriani and Ford in this squad.

So is it really because of his off-field behaviour? Not if you take Jones’ word, which given how many times he has reiterated it, you have to. “Not for this selection, no. For a tournament, when you are in camp for a long period of time, players who have history in not being able to show self-discipline certainly that is something you look at. But not for short periods like this.”

Jones left Cipriani out of his latest England squad (Reuters)

But hold on one moment. Just this summer Jones said that one more front page headline will end his stay in the England set-up prematurely, and earlier this month he said: “If a guy gets in trouble all the time, you’ve got to have second thoughts about it.”

The contradictions do appear to be growing. Cipriani was initially out of the reckoning because he wasn’t doing what Jones wanted to see. When the wheels fell off England’s chariot last season, Cipriani was brought in from the cold thanks to his form with Wasps and appeared to deliver what was expected. Following his arrest, Jones said it would be about Cipriani’s form, which if anything appears to have improved this season since switching to Gloucester.

And what about his off-the-ball work? Take Beauden Barrett for example. The two-time World Rugby Player of the Year got a shed-load of criticism for his missed kicks at goal in last weekend’s defeat by South Africa. But on so many occasions, the fly-half has single-handedly either scored enough points to win a game alone or set-up his All Blacks teammates to do the same. He has 30 tries to his name in 68 caps that, for a fly-half, is unrivalled, and at the end of August scored four tries in a single match. Should he be dropped if his work off the ball is not up to scratch, even if he’s producing match-changing and match-winning moments more often than not? The players are different, but the cases are very similar.

Cipriani masterminded victory on his Gloucester debut (Getty)

The problem is that these contradictions add to the argument that Jones doesn’t really want Cipriani. On many occasions the head coach would start his media briefings with “so what do you want to ask about Danny Cipriani this week” or something similar. Tongue-in-cheek, maybe, but it gave the impression that Cipriani will never truly fit in with what he was trying to build.

Even yesterday, there was another joke at his expense. Cipriani’s appearance at his RFU disciplinary hearing last month went down badly when images of his untucked shirt, torn, creased jeans and trainers were circulated, and Jones has taken note of that.

“The great thing about Danny is that, what is he 32 (Cipriani is 30), he has still not worked out how to iron his jeans.” He added: ”He has still got plenty in his game to improve, and that is the exciting thing for us, and that is what I want to see.”

If this is an out-of-form Cipriani who has areas left for big improvement, then the English rugby should relish the all-conquering player that could rise to Jones’ challenge over the coming weeks. But, sadly, it seems the narrative is one that doesn’t have space to write in Cipriani as the lead character. When Farrell and Ford work so closely together and offer Jones what he wants from his playmakers, there may not be any room for Cipriani despite the constant calls for his inclusion. Ultimately, it’s hard to see how that will change before Japan 2019, meaning Cipriani’s World Cup dream may well be over.