Skip to main content
BBC SPORT / RUGBY UNION
Graphics Version | BBC News Home
Sport Homepage | Football | Formula 1 | Olympics | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorsport | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Rugby Union Contents:  Live scores | English | Irish | Scottish | Welsh | My Club | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved

Thursday, 6 March 2008, 07:18 GMT

Scots will target Cipriani - Shaw

By Pranav Soneji

Simon Shaw and Danny Cipriani

Date: Saturday, 8 March
Kick-off: 1515 GMT
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
BBC Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBCi, Radio 5 Live and BBC Sport website (video UK users only)

England lock Simon Shaw believes Scotland will single out Danny Cipriani for special attention in the Six Nations match at Murrayfield.

The 20-year-old will make his first England start at full-back on Saturday.

And Scotland are almost certain to bombard the Wasps sensation with a series of testing high balls, with wet and windy weather forecast.

"He will have a lot of growing up to do this weekend because Scotland will be testing him," Shaw, 34, told BBC Sport.

Cipriani will become England's ninth full-back during coach Brian Ashton's reign when he takes to the field against Scotland on Saturday.

He made his international debut as a replacement for the injured Mike Tindall during England's 26-19 defeat by Wales at Twickenham in the opening round of the Six Nations and had a brief second-half spell in the 23-19 victory over Italy in Rome a week later.

"They always raise their game against England, so it will be a tough encounter"
Simon Shaw

While he has set his long-term sights on Jonny Wilkinson's fly-half shirt, Cipriani possesses big-match experience at full-back, having played there for Wasps in last season's Heineken Cup final.

Although he is predicting a deluge of up-and-unders, Shaw is confident his Wasps team-mate has the talent and temperament to handle Scotland's hostile tactics.

"Although he is relatively inexperienced at this level, he is young, very talented, very quick and he has all the assets to make him a world-class player," said Shaw.

England will be looking to maintain their successful Six Nations away form in Edinburgh for the Calcutta Cup encounter.

Victories against Italy in Rome and France in Paris ensured England are still in the hunt for silverware, despite their 26-19 defeat by Wales at Twickenham in the opening round.

Although Scotland have yet to win a match in this season's campaign, Shaw believes Frank Hadden's side still pose a menacing threat in the highly charged Calcutta Cup atmosphere.

England's last visit to the Scottish capital in 2006 resulted in them going down to an 18-12 defeat.

606: DEBATE
"The English are underplaying their team's chances, but they are still very strong"
scottishnutjob

"Although they haven't won this tournament, they always seem to produce a big game at some stage," said Shaw.

"And they always raise their game against England, so it will be a tough encounter."

Shaw is more than aware of Scotland's potential against England, having been a member of Clive Woodward's starting XV that went to Murrayfield in search of the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2000.

But the visitors - who had convincingly won their previous four matches - were undone by fly-half Duncan Hodge, who scored all of Scotland's points in their 19-13 victory in abysmal conditions.

"We came unstuck that night because we were used to playing an open brand of rugby and the weather didn't permit us to do that," added Shaw.

"It enabled them to really get under our skin and ultimately win the game, which was gutting to say the least.

"But we have obviously learned from that defeat. I would imagine they will play a similar game plan and we have to get the better of them in that area."



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:

Cipriani warms to full-back role (05 Mar 08 |  Rugby Union )
England select Cipriani and Croft (04 Mar 08 |  Rugby Union )
Simpson-Daniel gets England call (02 Mar 08 |  English )
De Luca ruled out of England game (03 Mar 08 |  Rugby Union )
Cipriani should start - Dallaglio (27 Feb 08 |  Rugby Union )
Cipriani wants Wilkinson's place (22 Jan 08 |  Rugby Union )
Six Nations Young Guns - Danny Cipriani (27 Jan 08 |  Rugby Union )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Rugby union on the BBC
Your say - 606
International Rugby Board
RBS Six Nations
Rugby Football Union
Scottish Rugby Union
England squad selector
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC SPORT: 

Sport Homepage | Football | Formula 1 | Olympics | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorsport | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Rugby Union Contents:  Live scores | English | Irish | Scottish | Welsh | My Club | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved

^ Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | Feedback | Help | ©