D'Arcy claimed that Burgess had embarrassed his colleagues in England's damaging Twickenham defeat to Wales
Danny Cipriani has blasted Gordon D'Arcy following the former Ireland star's criticism of England's Slammin' Sam Burgess.
In a newspaper column earlier this week D'Arcy claimed that Burgess, the Rugby League convert whose selection in the England squad for the World Cup split opinion, had embarrassed his colleagues in England's damaging Twickenham defeat to Wales.
"His naivety embarrassed all around him and severely damaged England's chances of reaching the quarter-finals," D'Arcy wrote in his Irish Times column.
D'Arcy insisted there was no way that Burgess could have learned to play in the vital no 12 role at Test level in such a short space of time.
"Burgess lacks the sense of timing, in attack and defence, required to be effective at international level," the Wexford native noted.
"Stuart picked a league convert who doesn’t know how to play inside centre for the biggest match England have played since the 2007 World Cup final."
But England out-half Cipriani, who just missed out on Stuart Lancaster's World Cup squad, claims D'Arcy was being mischievous in his comments.
“Gordon D’Arcy is never going to give a positive quote on England, and it’s never going to be a fair reflection," Cipriani wrote in his Paddy Power blog.
"His priorities have to lie with Ireland, and that’s his prerogative.
"What he was quoted in the papers as saying isn’t accurate, Sam Burgess wasn’t embarrassing at all in the Wales game.
"A lot of other pundits and a lot of other reports from people who watched the game said that he played well.
"He did a great job at 12 with all the pressure that was put on him.
"He’ll be disappointed to be dropped this week, but he’ll bounce back.”
Burgess paid the price for his display as he was one of three players axed by Lancaster for the do or die Pool A clash with Australia at Twickenham on Saturday night, with Jonathan Joseph re-introduced and Brad Barritt moving back into the Burgess slot.
But Cipriani claims that D'Arcy's criticism should be taken in context, even if the Irishman is an expert in the role of a no 12 - having partnered Brian O'Driscoll in the centre for most of his illustrious career.
The controversial 14-times capped no 10 said: “It’s great that Darcy is adding fuel to the fire and sparking debate, but you can’t seriously believe that that is what he truly believes.
"Putting more pressure on England this weekend helps Ireland.
"It not only adds to the rivalry, but in the long run, England stumbling is beneficial to Ireland’s World Cup chances.
"Don’t read into what D'Arcy said, Burgess had a very good game.
“These comments won’t get any attention in the England camp.
"Journalists have a job to sell papers, and if they can make their report a little bit more controversial then they will.
"The players won’t be paying any attention to this, they’ll just be focussed on the Australia.”
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