Wynne Gray: Want a place in the squad? Don't pull a Cipriani

England's Danny Cipriani. Photo / AP

Difficult buggers in rugby - there have been a few.

Some great players have been awkward men for their coaches to control, using their playing value to cut them some behavioural slack.

They have flouted team rules, social etiquette, convention and protocols, banking on their ability or a lack of internal competition to retain their places.

Others have just liked butting heads with their coaches, especially experienced campaigners who inherit a new boss and decide to test him out.

When Super rugby was born in 1996, there were swags of blokes roaming the competition who were not as "professional" as the description suggests.

They brought some amateur behaviour to the paid ranks. It has taken some time for those traits to be weeded out of the system.

Whether it has meant better players is another argument altogether, but they are less likely to cause trouble or be regarded as rogue elements.

Coaches fill up their players' time with all sorts of briefings, discussions, tests, exams, skill drills, wall charts, weight sessions, tactical planning, PR briefings, media interviews, sponsor opportunities, dietary lectures, skinfold checks and travel questions that it is a wonder they get out on the track much.

Some players have breakout moments, but not too many like Danny Cipriani, the English five-eighth signed by the Rebels for their debut season. He had a reputation as a social problem, a difficult cuss who would not even listen to England coach Martin Johnson.

The Rebels thought they could change him but Cipriani has been pinged several times in Melbourne for social misdemeanours and is now ignored for selection.

There are a few blokes across the New Zealand franchises who have been given last warning-type notices about some of their behaviour.

Several are on the cusp of World Cup selection and, in the absence of any whispers this year, appear to have pulled their heads in. If they are smart they will recall what happened in 2007 when Graham Henry and his selectors cut a few contenders because of their social frailties.

Most are in a group hoping to fill one of the 23-30 vacancies in the All Blacks, a group who for the most part will be the backup boys getting minimal matchplay during the tournament.

The selectors will be looking for men of talent and team loyalty, blokes who will do as much if not more training than those regularly getting into the black playing strip.

Blokes without any whinge factor, competitive men desperate to play, but willing to put aside any personal targets for the good of the team.