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Joe Simpson set for Cipriani reunion after inking fresh loan deal
By Liam Heagney
Ex-England scrum-half Joe Simpson has secured his second loan deal of the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership season, the Gloucester half-back following up his month-long stay at Saracens with a three-month deal at Bath that will take him through to mid-January. Simpson was fleetingly in London as suspension cover but he has switched to Bath for a longer stay as injury cover and he now has the opportunity to revive his old Wasps and Gloucester partnership with Danny Cipriani.
A Bath statement read: "The 33-year-old arrives as injury cover for Ben Spencer and will compete for a starting berth alongside Ollie Fox, Max Green and Tom Carr-Smith. Simpson has been one of the most consistent performers in the Gallagher Premiership since graduating from the Wasps academy in 2008.
"He headed into the Wasps first-team, striking up an electric partnership with Danny Cipriani that culminated in the duo playing 53 games together across the latter’s two spells at the club. Featuring over 250 times for Wasps in 13 years, the one-capped England international signed for Gloucester in 2019 where he scored eleven tries in 29 matches ahead of a short-term deal with Saracens this season."
Bath boss Stuart Hooper added: “We are delighted to bring in a player of Joe’s Premiership quality to our group. He adds great experience to our squad and will enhance competition for the nine shirt alongside Ollie, Max and Tom while Ben is injured.”
It was just a few weeks ago that Saracens boss Mark McCall lauded the impact that 'model pro' Simpson made during his short stay with the Londoners which happened because new signing Ivan van Zyl was suspended for a red card in a pre-season friendly at Ulster.
Simpson came off the bench in the opening night win over Bristol and having started in the bye round friendly win over Ealing, he was an unused replacement versus Leicester before van Zyl became available for selection again. “We are so fortunate to find someone as experienced as Joe to fill that short-term gap with Ivan getting a ban, so that was great,” enthused McCall when asked by RugbyPass for his verdict on Simpson, the scrum-half who won his one and only England cap as a sub at the 2011 World Cup.
“But also he has just fitted in brilliantly. He knew quite a few of our players. He had played with Billy (Vunipola) and Alex Lozowski when they were at Wasps together, but he has been brilliant. We played an A-team game against Ealing last Friday night and Joe played in that. He had a great influence on the younger players in that group so we have been really pleased with him.”
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Latest Comments
I think the best 15 we have is DMac. Jordan at 14.
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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