Northampton head coach Chris Boyd believes the signing of mercurial fly-half Danny Cipriani is a very shrewd acquisition on the part of Gloucester.
Cipriani will line up in the Cherry and Whites’ number ten jersey for his debut against Boyd’s Saints at Kingsholm on Saturday.
The 30-year-old was rewarded for his fine form last season at Wasps with a first England appearance in ten years in the third and final Test of England’s June tour of South Africa.
However, it has also been a summer of controversy for Cipriani, haivng been convicted of common assault and resisting arrest while on pre-season tour with Gloucester in Jersey.
“Johan Ackermann (Gloucester head coach) was a revelation in South Africa and did extremely well with the Lions,” Boyd told the Belfast Telegraph.
“He introduced a new style of rugby, and I can see a lot of his traits in the way that Gloucester play. Plus, Cipriani is a very good signing for them, as he likes that style.”
When asked if there were any nerves ahead of his maiden game in charge of a European top-flight side, Boys said: “I am probably too old to get nervous now.
“But I just want to make sure that when we get to Saturday as a coaching group we’ve done everything we can, left no stone unturned and given the players all the preparation they need to go into the game.
“It’s up to them then to bring the performance.”