Ashton says impressive England no one-man band

By Mitch Phillips

LONDON (Reuters) - Coach Brian Ashton predictably played down the impact of Danny Cipriani in England's 33-10 victory over Ireland on Saturday, instead praising an all-round team performance he described as their best of the tournament.

Cipriani, in his first start, delivered an assured, all-round display at flyhalf, landing all seven of his goalkicks with four penalties and conversions of tries by Paul Sackey, Mathew Tait and Jamie Noon.

But Ashton, who brought in the 20-year-old for Jonny Wilkinson, told a news conference: "The team played exceptionally well, it was a team performance not a one-man band. Rugby when it's played at that level never is."

However, pressed to assess the impact of a man he dropped from the squad before the Scotland game for disciplinary reasons, Ashton said: "We know what sort of player he is.

"But you are never quite sure until they get out there whether they can bring the authority and skills they show in the Heineken Cup, Premiership and in training into an England international.

"Particularly in the last 25 minutes of the first half, I thought his balance was excellent in terms of his options.

"I imagine he will be pretty pleased but let's not go too overboard on one player. It was a really good team performance, one of England's best for some time."

PLEASING RECOVERY