Hipkiss return: Centre ‘surprised’ by England call-up to replace Cipriani

A phone call from Twickenham notifying the Leicester centre that his season had just been extended by three weeks proved he had not been forgotten after all.

Eye-catching: In-form Hipkiss

Instead of spending the summer wondering where he had gone wrong, Hipkiss will be in New Zealand as the beneficiary of a day's head-scratching by Martin Johnson and his coaches over replacing Danny Cipriani.

Should events prove Hipkiss is only there to make up the numbers, that will at least be more than he has managed since the World Cup.

England's subsequent preference under former coach Brian Ashton for Mike Tindall, Jamie Noon and Mathew Tait pushed the 25-year-old from Ipswich to fourth in the outside centre rankings and out of contention for the Six Nations.

'Some coaches like certain types of players and I'd have to concede others were probably playing better at the time,' said Hipkiss. 'I didn't think I did anything exceptional at the World Cup but I didn't feel out of my depth so it was disappointing not to have been involved in the Six Nations.

'I was a little surprised to get the call for New Zealand but you can see the reasoning behind it. This gives me the opportunity I've been waiting for. Like everyone else, I can't help but feel for Danny and I wish him a quick recovery.'

Hipkiss discovered soon enough that Test rugby is not the bed of roses it appeared to be on his debut at Twickenham last August when England demolished what was largely a Wales reserve team with nine tries.

After another full match, against France in Marseille, he was limited at the World Cup to four bit-parts as a substitute, most recently for Josh Lewsey in the semi-final against France and for Jason Robinson in the Final a week later.

Demoted to the secondstring Saxons for matches against Italy and Ireland last winter, Hipkiss had been left out of the reserve grade party named by Johnson last week for next month's annual Churchill Cup series in north America.

'Johnno told me why I was not in the main squad,' he said. 'I've had trouble with my groin and the thinking was that maybe I could do with some work on that.'

Even after Cipriani's cruel removal, Hipkiss's name hardly sprung to mind as a like-for-like replacement - until England decided they were more in need of reinforcement one or two stops along from fly half.

Ryan Lamb, the leading uncapped contender in the queue, is not ready and will be far better served furthering his apprenticeship in the less rarefied atmosphere of the trans-Atlantic exercise than running the needless risk of being exposed to the All Blacks before his time.

Johnson rapidly came to the conclusion that, in Charlie Hodgson, Toby Flood and Olly Barkley, England have enough goal-kicking No 10s.

'Dan gives us further options at centre,' said Johnson. 'He's been playing well for Leicester in recent weeks and deserves his chance.'

The two major casualties of the New Zealand trip - Iain Balshaw and Lesley Vainikolo - are scheduled to line up against England for the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 1.

The Gloucester pair, declared surplus to requirements for the Tests against the All Blacks despite appearing throughout the Six Nations, have accepted invitations instead from the Baa-Baas for their three-match tour beginning against Belgium in Brussels on Saturday.

Three more English veterans are also among the 30 Baa-Baas - hooker Mark Regan, second row Danny Grewcock and scrum half Andy Gomarsall.

The two most recent Test centurions, Wales wing Gareth Thomas and Wallaby fly half Stephen Larkham, are included alongside Saracens' goalkicking No 10 Glen Jackson, whose selection maintains the Barbarian tradition for picking at least one uncapped player.

Newcastle plan to follow Steve Bates' confirmation as their head coach by announcing the capture of Tane Tuipulotu, a junior All Black from the Wellington Hurricanes.

The 27-year-old centre, who turned down offers from Bristol and London Irish, has agreed a three-year contract as the first of two overseas signings aimed at Newcastle avoiding a relegation fight next season.