I want the Lions' share of attention

Cipriani, who yesterday signed a 12-month contract extension at Wasps, is banking on the fact that Lions coaches Ian McGeechan and Shaun Edwards are watching his every move at the club and hoping they are seeing something Martin Johnson is not.[>

[>

England’s failure to pick Cipriani during a troubled tournament was initially justified on form grounds, but Johnson’s former team-mate Will Greenwood has stirred the pot by claiming his continuing absence was down to his unpopularity among his international peers.[>

[>

Whatever the truth of that, he remains a man in demand at Wasps and he is crossing his fingers a strong end to the season, starting against London Irish tomorrow, can impress his club coaches enough for them to add him to their Lions list.[>

[>

Cipriani said: “It is possible. Shaun and Geech know the people to pick and it will be those who are playing well at the right time.[>

[>

“Josh Lewsey has had about five man-of-the-match awards in his last eight games and I am sure if he is still playing well at the end of the season he will go even though he has retired from international rugby. If I am performing as well as I can do I’d like to think the same would apply to me.[>

[>

“When I am enjoying myself I like to think I play good rugby and I am getting back to enjoying myself now. I have felt really good in the last four games and I am feeling strong. I feel like I got back to my best a couple of games ago.”[>

[>

Cipriani has been slogging his way through training with his club this week, casting a secretly envious eye at the England team paintballing and attending darts matches up north. In the circumstances, he has little choice but to knuckle down and concentrate on Wasps matters, which Edwards feels he is doing increasingly effectively.[>

[>

“It has made him doubly determined,” said Edwards. “In the last month his form has greatly improved and, with a lot of players away with England, he has been great in a leadership role for Wasps. We’ve challenged him in a couple of areas, one of them the contact area, and last week against Worcester he won a couple of turnovers, which was more than Serge Betsen.[>

[>

“We’re delighted he will be in a Wasps shirt next season. It is important for his own development that he is in a settled environment and at Wasps we are comfortable that we can turn him into the best player he can possibly be.”[>

[>

Cipriani’s decision to re-sign with Wasps on a £180,000 salary along with 12 colleagues comes as a relief to the club with the impending departures of James Haskell, Tom Palmer and Riki Flutey to France. Phil Vickery, Tom Rees, Tim Payne and Simon Shaw were among the notables to recommit.[>

[>

However, the fact that Cipriani, who said Johnson’s preference for England players to be playing in England did not influence him in turning down French offers, has done so for only one more year indicates he is not yet totally convinced his long-term future lies with the club.[>

[>

“It was good to have a few options but once I knew others were signing I was straight on the dotted line. I love it here,” he said.[>

[>

“It is disappointing that people like James are leaving because they are good players, but we can fill their places very easily.”[>

[>

If Rees, who makes his comeback after a two-month absence with knee ligament damage against Irish, admits that his own two-year deal will be viewed in some quarters as a “stopgap” arrangement, then 12 months sounds like Cipriani is merely in a holding pattern.[>

[>

He rejected the notion yesterday and claimed that by the end of 2009 he may sign up for another three years. Yet when offered just such an arrangement in this round of talks, he said no.[>

[>

* ENGLAND attack coach Brian Smith has apologised to referee Jonathan Kaplan for publicly criticising his performance after the defeat by Wales.[>