Golden-boots Cipriani set for sport's richlist

Cipriani is at present contracted to London Wasps and, with the deal set to run out in one year's time, negotiations are taking place that will see his salary reach the six-figure mark for the first time.

As an England player, he received an £8,500 match fee for helping to defeat Ireland on Saturday. But the club and international payments include use of his intellectual rights and this is a key factor in future contract demands by the Stella Group, which handles the 20-year-old's interests.

However, Cipriani's advisors cannot sign him up for any new deals that conflict with the existing contractual restrictions imposed by club and country, which means the outside-half may have to wait to challenge Jonny Wilkinson as English rugby's highest earner.

Wilkinson, who lost his England No10 jersey to Cipriani at Twickenham last weekend, banks an estimated £2m a year through four key sponsorship deals, plus the annual salary of £250,000 he is paid by Newcastle Falcons.

Before breaking into the England team this year - Cipriani now has three caps - the youngster would have been on around £50,000 with Wasps as a non-international, but he is now worth more than twice that figure.

His contract negotiations are well timed, as England's top clubs have received the go-ahead to increase the salary cap from £2.2m to £4m, allowing for bigger deals to be made.

Cipriani is also coming to the end of his boot deal and his profile now makes it possible for a significant increase in this area. But his main area of financial gain will be from endorsements.

Leading player agent Mike Burton said: "Danny is a hot property and we all like the fact he's a bit of a cheeky chappy. His people will be looking to line up one or two useful endorsements but his intellectual property rights are held by Wasps and England under their contracts. But he is a handsome young man who is seen by some as a scallywag and that will add to his image.

"We all hope Danny's going to have a long and successful career but he is not going to get anywhere near the financial rewards that someone like Formula One's Lewis Hamilton enjoys."

Cipriani's ability to find himself in the tabloid papers - he once dated one of the Cheeky Girls - plus the recent axing from the England team after a late night visit to a London club, does come into the equation according to Ashley Woolfe, who guided Lawrence Dallaglio's career.

Woolfe had to deal with the fall-out after drugs allegations were made against Dallaglio in 1999 that ended with the loss of the England captaincy and a fine from the Rugby Football Union.

Woolfe, managing director of Sportscast, said: "Danny is a different character to Jonny Wilkinson, which means he will attract other deals.

"It's like in football, where Michael Owen gets the clean-cut deals while Wayne Rooney is chosen by companies who want something different.

"Danny is a special talent who is not afraid to be seen out in public, although that could bring problems.

"There is far more attention given to rugby players now than in 1999 when Lawrence had his problems. Look what happened to Gavin Henson when there was an incident on a train involving some friends and drinking games.

"There are deals to be done out there but they are harder to come by and we are still three years away from the next World Cup when the game really hits the headlines."

A lucrative newspaper column is one area Cipriani could explore - Wilkinson is paid £250,000 for his thoughts - although that would undermine any attempt to keep a low profile as he shapes what should be one of the most exciting futures rugby has seen.