Rugby union: talking points from the weekend’s Premiership action

Danny Cipriani and Petrus du Plessis are in the frame for England, Worcester wait for the clouds to part at Sixways, and Newcastle’s rise from rock bottom continuesQuins are now third in the league, seven places higher than Worcester, but the margins in this season’s Premiership are increasingly slim. Dean Ryan, for one, reckoned it was only his side’s poor early tactical kicking on a treacherous surface at Sixways that cost the Warriors a potentially valuable win. “I’m getting fed up with talking about this side gaining confidence from being close,” said Ryan, challenging his side to play wit…