For once the focus is on the other No 10, and Danny Cipriani isn't even starting at Twickenham this weekend, where the All Blacks are aiming to complete their third rugby Grand Slam.
The plight of Cipriani, the new whipping boy of English rugby, has been so excessive in the week leading up to New Zealand's final test of the year, Dan Carter, the man who had expected to mark the 21-year-old alleged whizz kid, has barely rated a mention since the team arrived from Cardiff.
And the All Blacks premier first five-eighth was appreciating his time out of the limelight -- while sympathising with a young player that has been paraded as England's equivalent of Carter -- a new-improved Johnny Wilkinson.
When Carter fronted the media at the team hotel yesterday, the first three questions were about the man who has been relegated to the England reserves bench -- not necessarily a position of safety for a pivot facing a crisis of confidence.
Carter politely revealed he had been preparing to line-up against the prodigy from English Premiership giant Wasps on Saturday (3.30amSunNZT) though had the playmaker watched a highlights reel of England's 42-6 capitulation to South Africa last weekend he would probably have started schooling up on Toby Flood earlier than yesterday.
Cipriani was given the benefit of the doubt after the Wallabies downed England 28-14 on November 15 but there was no place to hide against the rampant Springboks.
A charged down kick which led to a try -- the third time this has happened in four tests -- eroded his composure and England suffered as a result.
The written media's obituaries for Cipriani started on Sunday and the relief was palpable when England manager Martin Johnson relegated his playmaker to the reserves for what promises to be another demoralising experience.
Former players have also put the boot in to one of England's most visible, though least experienced, test players. Cipriani's off-field lifestyle is partially to blame with paparazzi documenting his every move with model Kelly Brook.
Carter, the All Black with the highest profile in the current squad, attracts similar interest though he pointed out there were obviously major distinctions between playing in New Zealand and England.
"I guess we're quite lucky in New Zealand. Although everyone is very passionate about rugby they tend to leave you alone, we're very lucky. There's a lot more off-field attention over here." Carter said marrying the public demands of being a sporting icon with a stable environment away from the field was one of the hardest challenges facing a high profile athlete.
"It's very important and something I pride myself on," the 26-year-old said ahead of his 59th test cap.
"When I'm at the training pitch and playing and at team meetings my focus is 100 per cent.
"Off the field I have certain interests like anyone .... as long as you can find that balance between giving 100 per cent when you're in the rugby scene and then enjoying life outside of it you should be able to handle it." Cipriani is still seeking that equilibrium. And in retrospect England management did him no favours by rushing Cipriani back into service for the perennially injured Wilkinson so soon after he suffered a career-threatening ankle injury.
Since his return his kicking out of hand has been laboured, his defence considered a liability though Carter was encouraging.
"He will learn a lot from what's happened in the last couple of games. He's still young and there's no doubting his talent," he said.
Meanwhile, Cipriani might be wise to seek the counsel of a senior All Blacks after fulltime.
Lock Brad Thorn is well-versed with the pitfalls associated with being marked as a star from an early age. He made his professional debut with the Brisbane Broncos as a teenager and eventually realised he had to modify his glamorous lifestyle.
Now 33 and a template for the consummate professional footballer, Thorn hoped Cipriani had a strong support network during this challenging time.
"It's not natural for a 21-year-old kid to get that sort of attention (off the field)," he said.
"You come out of high school and how do you prepare to get big salaries and how do you prepare to have a few pats on the back, cars .... money all that sort of stuff? "It's a tough one, I really sympathise. It's probably some character building time for him and the team at the moment. I'm sure he'll be stronger for it in the years to come."
