Cipriani gets quick reprieve; Wilko and BO’D absent

England bad-boy Danny Cipriani has been rewarded for taking his punishment like a man with a first full cap for the side in place of … Jonny Wilkinson.  Wilkinson, who for some time has been considered undroppable, has suffered from poor form so far in this year’s Six Nations, and club kid Cipriani is the man to benefit as the Falcons man drops to the bench, consigning Charlie Hodgson to club duty for the final game of his country’s campaign, against Ireland on Saturday.

Also absent from the action at Twickenham is Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll.  O’Driscoll suffered a hamstring tear against Wales on Saturday past, and will be out for about four weeks.  The injury caps a miserable tournament for the Leinster man, whose previous heroics have been conspicuous recently only by their absence.  O’Driscoll is replaced in the centre by Shane Horgan, in the team by the returning Geordan Murphy, and in the role of captain by fly-half Ronan O’Gara - himself one of the few bright spots in a poor campaign for Ireland.  With Murphy back at full-back, the exciting Rob Kearney returns to the wing for the tournament’s penultimate game.