Danny Cipriani could hardly be better placed to make a speedy recovery from the ankle injury that has so cruelly ended his season. Not only will London Wasps ensure the young fly half receives the best possible rehabilitation over the next six months, they will provide him with mentors in Lawrence Dallaglio and Simon Shaw, who understand what he is going through.

Cipriani underwent surgery on Sunday night at the Lister Hospital, in London, on the fracture dislocation of his right ankle, sustained that afternoon in the 21-10 Guinness Premiership semi-final win over Bath. He will remain in hospital under observation for a couple of days but the recovery work will begin almost immediately; Wasps will monitor his progress but do not expect him to be fit until November.

They know that he will miss the Premiership final against Leicester at Twickenham on May 31, as will Tom Voyce, the wing, who dislocated his left shoulder in the same match. England must also discount Cipriani from next month’s two-match series against New Zealand and in all probability the four autumn internationals at home, although they are able to call on the experience of Charlie Hodgson against the All Blacks, while Jonny Wilkinson should be back next season after recovering from his recent shoulder operation.

Martin Johnson, the England team manager who sent a message of sympathy to Cipriani yesterday, will name a replacement today, who does not necessarily have to be a fly half. He already has Toby Flood and Olly Barkley in his tour party, both of whom have played for England in the No 10 jersey, and Johnson may feel that neither of the next two players in the pecking order, Ryan Lamb, of Gloucester, and Adrian Jarvis, of Harlequins, is ready for the All Blacks just yet.

In the short term, Wasps seem likely to call up Jeremy Staunton, who is on loan for the season from London Irish, to play in the Premiership final because Dave Walder, who had made such a good fist of deputising while Cipriani played in the RBS Six Nations Championship, is on crutches having broken his leg. They have cover for Voyce but will want positive reports on Tim Payne and James Haskell, both of whom failed to go the distance against Bath. This would be a good time for Phil Vickery, the injured England captain, to bear out reports that he will be fit for the final.

Meanwhile, Cipriani, 20, can talk through the implications of his injury with two senior professionals: Dallaglio, the Wasps No 8 and captain, who both broke and dislocated his right ankle during the opening match of the 2005 Lions tour and required internal fixation to stabilise the fracture, just as Cipriani has done. He was back in action for his club less than five months later.

Shaw, the England lock, suffered an even more horrendous injury 13 years ago, when playing for Bristol against Transvaal; a double dislocation of the left ankle, a broken shin bone, ruptured ligaments and tendons. That the limb had to bear the weight of such a big man - he is 6ft 8in and about 19st - meant that his career was under scrutiny, but almost a year later he made his international debut.

The presence of Bath and Worcester Warriors in Sunday’s European Challenge Cup final at Kingsholm, as well as the proximity of the Premiership final, has limited Johnson’s selection for the match on June 1 at Twickenham between an England XV and the Barbarians. However, the other eight Premiership clubs are represented in the 27-strong squad named yesterday, including Stuart Hooper, the Leeds Carnegie lock, who will replace Alex Brown in the England Saxons squad to defend the Churchill Cup next month in North America.

Brown suffered a neck injury during Gloucester’s 26-25 semi-final defeat by Leicester on Sunday and has withdrawn from the tour. There remains an exciting mix of youth to complement the older heads and Mike Tindall, who, in the absence of Steve Borthwick, the senior tour captain, seems likely to lead the England XV.

England squad

To play the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 1

Backs: M Brown (Harlequins), U Monye (Harlequins), T Ojo (London Irish), D Strettle (Harlequins), A Allen (Gloucester), J Noon (Newcastle Falcons), M Tait (Newcastle Falcons), M Tindall (Gloucester), T Flood (Newcastle Falcons), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), D Care (Harlequins), P Richards (London Irish), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks).

Forwards: A Clarke (Bristol), J Hobson (Bristol), N Lloyd (Saracens), D Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), D Hartley (Northampton), D Paice (London Irish), S Hooper (Leeds Carnegie), C Jones (Sale Sharks), N Kennedy (London Irish), N Easter (Harlequins), T Guest (Harlequins), L Narraway (Gloucester), C Robshaw (Harlequins), W Skinner (Harlequins).