New man in at no 10? Cipriani keen to be new-look England's back for the future

It was one of the more impressive performances of the season. Not only was it a key Heineken Cup match on the road but it was at Stradey Park, traditionally a cauldron of the senses and this time even more so following the death of Ray Gravell.

Wasps paid due homage, Ian McGeechan, their director of rugby, laying a wreath on the centre of the pitch. And then they set about reducing Stradey, already in mourning, to a different kind of silence through the sheer quality of their back play.

"It was a very emotional occasion and to win away was fantastic," Danny Cipriani said. "I'd never played at Stradey before and somehow it felt bigger than it is. Some of the guys at Wasps knew Ray Gravell and Geech [McGeechan] emphasised that we shouldn't get taken in by it all. Lol [Lawrence Dallaglio] also made an inspirational speech about how we had to rise above the occasion."

Rise above it they did with a 33-17 victory, Cipriani scoring one of five tries and converting four as he linked brilliantly with Riki Flutey and Fraser Waters. And this at a breeding ground for some of the great Welsh fly-halves, Barry John, Phil Bennett and Jonathan Davies. It was a difficult job well done and it demonstrated that Wasps, the reigning champions of Europe, are nothing if not professional.

When they won the Heineken Cup at Twickenham last season, they prevented Leicester, who had already collected the Guinness Premiership and the EDF Energy Cup, from completing the hat-trick. On that occasion, the stand-off Alex King, in his last game before leaving for France, exited in style, kicking four penalties and a drop goal.

The King has abdicated, long live Cipriani, for the youngster, who won a cup winner's medal at full-back while uniquely being named Wasps' academy player of the year, now has the chance to make a name for himself, or an even bigger one, at No 10.

"In the past I'd always played fly-half so I'm comfortable there," Cipriani said. "I can stake a claim and it's going to be my main focus. Josh Lewsey has been messed about in different positions in his career and he's given me advice. If I was switched to full-back I wouldn't complain. Whatever gets me the furthest quickest."

Having turned 20 earlier this month, he has already flown up the pecking order and there is none of the usual nonsense about taking it one game at a time or waiting patiently for his first England cap. "I'm gunning for the Six Nations. This has always been my dream and my aim is to keep progressing." He also has his sights set on the Lions tour to South Africa in 2009.

Cipriani made England's training squad for the World Cup, missing out when Brian Ashton made the cut for the final 30. "I got a voicemail from Brian and then he rang me up to explain why he'd gone for experience. I thought I could have been ready to make the step up. It was very disappointing but it's how you react that's important.

"I learnt a lot at England's training camp and had one on one with people like Jason Robinson. When I returned to Wasps the attitude was fantastic and I started training harder. The whole experience made me even more hungry, especially watching England on television. I just wanted to be out there. They showed a lot of bottle."

Cipriani was a spectator with his mother Anne. His father Jay lives in Tobago. "The whole family originally came from Trinidad so I'm half West Indian although there may have been an Italian connection." Cipriani was born in Roehampton, where he played for Rosslyn Park juniors, and attended the Oratory School near Reading and Whitgift School, Croydon, which has a rugby pedigree. "Mum sent me to all the right schools."

He was useful at cricket, squash and football and could have been on Reading's books. "At 15 I stopped playing soccer and cricket and concentrated on rugby. It's what I enjoyed most. I'm proud to be a professional rugby player and I don't want to take anything for granted. The lifestyle could become run of the mill but the great thing at Wasps is every time you train you want to be the best. I love winning. The thing I most dislike is a bad attitude. I've benefited from being with a phenomenal set of players and coaches."

Cipriani might be considered pretentious but not by Ashton who coached him at the National Academy. The West Indian-Englishman, who can kick with either foot and has an impressive turn of pace, made his senior debut in a cup game against Bristol in 2004 at the age of 17; he only made his first Premiership start last January, winning the man-of-the-match award against Worcester.

Cips, as he is called, did make a World Cup once, the Under-19 version, but picked up a head injury. He invariably plays with a scrum cap. "My mum won't let me play without it." You can't believe that, nor the stories, more's the pity, that Danny boy is dating one of the Cheeky Girls. "It's just not true," he said. "There was a picture of me and her at a charity function and that's the extent of it."

He says his heroes are Brian Lara and Jonny Wilkinson and today he was hoping to play against the man he intends to replace in the England team when Wasps host Newcastle in the Premiership. Wilkinson, however, has an ankle injury, a legacy of the World Cup. There's always next weekend – the clubs meet again at Adams Park in the EDF Energy Cup.