Will Carling criticises decision to omit Danny Cipriani
Thursday 27 August 2015 22:09, UK
Will Carling feels Danny Cipriani has not been given the chances others have to prove their World Cup credentials.
And the former England captain also says it is a mistake by head coach Stuart Lancaster to include rugby league convert Sam Burgess in his final squad for the tournament.
Sale Sharks fly-half Cipriani did not make the final cut for the World Cup despite impressing in the final 20 minutes of England's warm-up match against France last weekend, with Owen Farrell and George Ford named as the group's number 10s.
"I just don't think he was given the fair chance that everyone else was given. He's not had a start, he's not had a half," Carling told Sky Sports News HQ.
"He was given 20 minutes and in that 20 minutes he was outstanding. I don't understand the logic of selection."
Burgess' selection was an equally controversial one, and even more so because it came at the expense of Northampton's Luther Burrell, an established presence in the England midfield.
Lancaster defended the decision to pick Burgess, who has only played 70 minutes of international rugby union since switching codes from league, saying: "He's done great. He's earned the right. He's picked on merit from what we've seen in the camp."
But Carling is not convinced, and thinks the tournament could come too soon for a player who excelled in the 13-man format but is largely unproven at international level in union.
"Sam Burgess is an absolutely brilliant rugby league player and I think he will be a very good rugby union player, he's just not there yet, in my mind," he said.
"My opinion is, no I wouldn't have him in the squad. Southern Hemisphere teams will have a look at him and think if you allow him to line you up he will hit you hard, but there are all sorts of tactics to sucker him in.
"It's a hell of a call to pick him and defensively, out in the space, I think people will attack him."
