Can Cipriani make a Lazarus like return to England's number 10 jersey? Yes.
Will he make a Lazarus like return to England's number 10 jersey? It all depends on which direction his career takes over the next two years.
Firstly he needs to have a cracking season for the Meloburne Rebels. That will drive his stocks up back in the motherland and get him a contract with a premiership team. His current contract with the Rebels runs out in July at the end of the Super Rugby season and I would expect him to return to England if someone will have him. Cipriani playing in England is vital to his hopes of returning to the national squad.
He would then have to have a blinder of a season for his new premiership club (likely to be Sale apparently).
I think he is a better fly-half than Flood and that Farrell is more of a 12 than a 10. If he returns to England when I suggest then he will only be 25 so not so old England are likely to go with a youth policy and overlook him for Ford. Ford is also unlikely to get enough game time to stake his claim if he remains at
Leicester, due to the presence of Flood.
This would require a lot of work on Danny's behalf, especially on his defense, but I don't think this is beyond him.
What may be beyond him is staying out of trouble (thus out of the tabloids). If he gets suspended this year for off field indiscretions as he did last year then the Rebels will move O'Connor or Beale there and he may not be able to make his way back into the squad. His chances of getting a premiership contract are also likely to become very slim should this scenario occur.
JOC will be playing 12- Been watching the Rebels training camp/keeping up with news. Interesting, I wonder who will start with the kicking duties. Gut instinct would be O'Connor but Cipriani actually had a great season with the boot IIRC
O'Connor will take the kicks at goal. He is the Wallabies kicker and he has been kicking in all their trials. Might give Cipriani a chance to learn to tackle.
