Rugby betting: England's Six Nations fly-half

As a new year starts attention switches back to rugby union and the Six Nations. England coach Brian Ashton, boosted by a new rolling contract, has a short time to address some key selection issues ahead of the tournament which kicks off in early February. Click here for your Coral free £10 to bet on rugby with Coral It seems bizarre that a fully-fit Jonny Wilkinson, who finished the World Cup at something like his best, could even face a challenge as England's first-choice No 10, but such has been the form of Wasps young fly-half Danny Cipriani that Wilkinson is 7/4 to start in the tournament opener against Wales on February 2. Cipriani, who has been courting controversy off the pitch ith his high profile afair with one half of the Cheeky Girls, is 5/2 second favourite to be at No 10, and his rapid rise to the top is shown with the fact that former Wilkinson understudy Charlie Hodgson, who missed the World Cup due to injury, is 5/1. Olly Barkley of Bath, another who has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons recently, may have earned plaudits by filling in when Wilkinson was injured in the group stages in France but he is as big as 12-1 to make Ashton's starting XV. Not only has Cipriani overtaken Hodgson and Barkley, he is also overshadowing another young player Gloucester's Ryan Lamb, who burst onto the scene last season and whose performances in this campaign, particularly in the Heineken Cup, have drawn praise. Because of all the young talent in the English game, Andy Farrell who was a big part of Ashton's plans in France until he was injured ahead of the semi-final against Australia, is 6/4 to see any Six Nations action. Coral betting: starting No 10 for England v Wales on Feb 2: 7/4 Wilkinson, 5/2 Cipriani, 5 Hodgson, 9 Flood, 12 Barkley, Lamb, GeraghtyAndy Farrell to play for England in 2008 Six Nations: 6/4 yes, 1/2 no Click here for your Coral free £10 to bet on rugby with Coral