Walder tip Cips to show his skill

Newcastle's match against Wasps at Kingston Park ensures the pair their first head-to-head on a Premiership stage since the 20-year-old Londoner emerged as the heir apparent to Wilkinson's throne.

While their Irish, Scottish and Welsh counterparts put their feet up, England's duo will happily put their bodies on the line in the club cause.

Far from resting anyone in the national interest, Newcastle will rely on their quartet of England backs and Wasps with three of last Saturday's winning team in Paris, plus Ireland scrum-half Eoin Reddan.

Whatever his fate, Cipriani knows it cannot be as bad as Wasps' last trip to the north-east this time last year, Newcastle's 37-11 home win forcing a "very embarrassed" rugby director Ian McGeechan to apologise to the fans.

Neither Wilkinson nor Cipriani played that night but one fly half who did, Dave Walder, knows both inside out having joined Wasps from Newcastle.

"I imagine they will be after each other," Walder said. "But if you go off on your own agenda in a match like this, you can end up looking a bit foolish.

"Anyone who plays professional sport is pretty competitive, Jonny more so than most. If you run straight at Jonny, he will smash you like he did with the French hooker last Saturday night. People have stopped running straight at him because they know he will smash them.

"He's got the bit between his teeth with people saying he's not what he was and he's desperate to prove them wrong. Cips is just as desperate for another chance to impress with England. It helps his game that he has a confidence bordering on arrogance.

"There will be chances within the game for each to test the other. Danny's done very well and he's pushing Jonny. He certainly has all the skills but Jonny's got the shirt and he's doing enough to hold on to it.

"Until Jonny has a shocker, I imagine that will always be the case. He doesn't have too many shockers, to be fair. He missed two tackles and one kick and everyone is saying he hasn't got it any more."

Forner France captain Raphael Ibanez joins England props Phil Vickery and Tim Payne in the Wasps front row after agreeing to extend his career at the club for another season.

"Rugby is about passion and I still have a strong passion for Wasps," the 35-year-old hooker said. "I had some opportunities to consider from France but they have come too early for me."