I really dislike this type of article. What good does it do anyone?
Also, how do they know Dai Young 'let Cipriani go'. Short of holding him at gunpoint he may have tried everything within his power (he may have tried that too for all we know). It isn't simple a case of someone letting someone else walk out the door, there may be reasons that meant he was going regardless. Maybe we should have hung on to beyond the last minute just in case he got into the England side and risked going into this season with Searle as our only 10. Maybe someone should have had the foresight to realise that EJ would name him in the touring party to keep him in England, and hence available for the WC in case of emergency. Maybe we could have offered him more than the French clubs (it's what Sarries would have done, lets face it).
This whole best / worst business is stupid and pointless. Deals were done on the best information available at the time. It should also be noted - Cipriani didn't leave us to go to Gloucester - he didn't commit to us, we got a replacement, he made no decision, he got into the England side at the last minute giving him an opening for the WC, he then signed for Gloucester. If he hadn't have made the tour to SA, my bet is he would have been in France and this piece would never have seen the light of day. That isn't to say Ackerman didn't do a good piece of business, but I don't think it can be linked to Dai signing Sops. They were separate occurrences.