Dylan Hartley in, Danny Cipriani out: Eddie Jones has made up his mind on England duo despite contrasting form

Two England-qualified players of equally high profile but set on very different international trajectories will feature for their respective clubs this weekend at opposite ends of the Aviva Premiership table.

It is no longer possible to reason logically that either one’s performance will have any bearing on whether they play for England against Italy at the Stadio Olympico in Rome on 4 February in their Six Nations opener.

For Dylan Hartley and Danny Cipriani the die appears to have been cast. Hartley in. Cipriani out. Consistent excellence in a club shirt? Pah.

Both players divide opinion. Both have had their fair share of disciplinary issues down the years with Cipriani’s overwhelmingly off the field and Hartley’s largely, though not exclusively, on it. Both have received the dreaded ‘bad boy’ tabloid tag while both have, at various times, been the outstanding player in the country in their respective positions.

But while, fitness permitting, Hartley, 31, will earn his 90th England cap in Rome, despite a steady decline in his form over the past 12 months, accelerated in recent weeks as Northampton’s performances have nosedived, Cipriani’s realistic hopes of ever adding to his 14-cap tally appear over.

His club form could hardly be better but still the excuses come. England don’t want to pick him and those who believe he is the best English fly half since Jonny Wilkinson (who are Warren Gatland and Brian Ashton to judge?) must resign themselves to the increasing likelihood Cipriani will finish his career with three fewer England caps than Andy Goode.

For years Cipriani, whose sometimes brash exterior masks a sensitive soul who cares deeply about his craft, was told by successive English coaches to go away and produce consistent performances for his club.

Over the past 18 months at Wasps, and for three years previously at Sale, he has done just that.

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On Sunday at the Ricoh Arena the 30-year-old fly-half will be pulling the strings for third-placed Wasps against Owen Farrell’s second-placed Saracens knowing however well he plays, the door to an England return appears to be shut for good.

“I still want to play for England and it comes down to having a stormer in games like this,” Cipriani said ahead of his return from a knee injury when Wasps played La Rochelle in the Champions Cup in December.

The evidence suggests otherwise.

He has had several stormers since that La Rochelle encounter as Wasps’ season clicking into gear has coincided exactly with their fly-half’s return to fitness. Coincidence? Unlikely. Any impact on international prospects? None whatsoever.

This week Eddie Jones indicated the Harlequins rookie Marcus Smith would be ahead of Cipriani in the pecking order if anything happened to George Ford or Owen Farrell.

“My argument with him (Cipriani) is that if George Ford and Owen Farrell were out injured, then there’s a possibility we’d bring him in the squad as a main No10, but I wouldn’t have him in the squad as a supporting No10,” Jones said.

“I have ongoing discussions with all players: whether they like these discussions or not I don’t know and I don’t really care.”

This latest theory is a new twist on “go away and play consistently well for your club” but achieves precisely the same aim; it kicks the issue of Cipriani’s non-selection down the road until it becomes someone else’s problem.

Like Stuart Lancaster and Martin Johnson before, Jones simply doesn’t fancy him. Too much baggage, too much hassle. Why won’t someone just say it?

For the in-form Cipriani, the international door has never been more firmly closed.

Hartley on the other hand appears to have no such concerns. Despite his last winning performance in a Northampton shirt coming almost four months ago and his own form mirroring that of his free-falling club, his position as England captain and starting hooker remains rock solid.

“Some guys can be outstanding club players and be poor at international level. Some guys can be poor club players and outstanding international players,” Jones said.

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“As long as Dylan’s attitude and his body are right, he brings something to the table we need and that is strong leadership.”

But surely Hartley’s reputation as an outstanding leader can only carry him so far in the eyes of his team-mates, opponents and England fans alike.

While Saracens Jamie George, now indisputably the best hooker in the northern hemisphere, continues to impress for his club, Hartley has produced performances which barely warrant selection for Northampton, let alone England.

On Saturday 10th placed Saints face fourth-placed Gloucester looking to avoid a 12th straight defeat in major competitions. Hartley will be captain with Mikey Hayward on the Saints bench.

Against Exeter before Christmas he carried once in the game for no metres gained while his lineout throwing was poor and defence lightweight. That day it was Luke Cowan-Dickie who played him off the park.

Last week against Harlequins, Hartley slipped off five tackles as Quins unheralded No2 Dave Ward got the better of the England captain with a man-of-the-match performance. But Jones remains his own man and with a brilliant track record of 22 wins from 23 in charge of England who are we to question his selections?

Hartley in. Cipriani out. Get used to it. Eddie ain’t for turning.