The Rolling Maul: No (sur)name Danny fights the Irish

Danny's lost his surname. It's a mark of an ascension. Jonny lost his years ago and since that time, no surname has been needed. This Saturday we have the Danny show, and last week we had the Jonny no-show. However you dress it up, Brian Ashton was utterly compelled to make the change. If Danny had another night out passing on match tickets, then it had to be Charlie Hodgson. If not him, Ryan Lamb or Andy Goode. Jonny has, hopefully just for now, lost the art of making England play.

What can we expect? Not a free ride, of course. David Wallace of Ireland will be hounding Danny, Ronan O'Gara too. There will be more verbals than in a whole series of Parkinson. He has hardly ever met Richard Wigglesworth, his scrum-half, let alone played with him. He is sandwiched between Wigglesworth and Toby Flood, who has been wholly ineffectual so far this season. Danny will be expected to kick start a team that has been immobile, kicking itself. It is all a ferocious task.

But I just have this feeling that Danny could be special at Twickenham. He will change England 's shape simply by being there. He stands flatter than Wilkinson, his hands are quicker, he is slightly less mechanical in his distribution and he is far quicker over the ground. Indeed, Cipriani is one of the fastest men in rugby. At present, he is also a longer kicker out of hand than Wilkinson.

Naturally, we do not know yet if he can achieve the same high kicking percentage at Jonny, especially under pressure in the last few minutes. We do not know if he will be able to cope when the strapping Andrew Trimble and Wallace come down his channel though I have never seen him exposed in defence. We do not know if he can carry his aura into the Test field as did Jonny.

But I cannot remember being so excited about a young player or so admiring of his work ethic, charm and appeal. I conclude that if he does fail on Saturday, it will be for one reason - that he tries too much. He has been known to dip too deep into his box of tricks, to bank on his talent when a conservative option would maybe have been better. To speculate.

What a contrast with staid old England of late. What a prospect. We still love Jonny. But now it's Danny's turn, he deserves it, and I challenge you at Twickers and in your armchairs, not to be drawn to the edge of the seat.

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