Cipriani headed to Australia?

conf101

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/feb/04/danny-cipriani-melbourne-storm

Danny Cipriani has held talks over a possible move to Australia to play for Melbourne Rebels and is "very interested" in the idea, according to the head coach of the Super 15 club.

Cipriani, whose contract at Wasps expires in May, would end his hopes of playing for England at the 2011 World Cup if he joins Melbourne. The fly-half is not in England's current elite squad.

"Danny is obviously the type of player we would like," Rod Macqueen, Melbourne's coach, told the Times. "He is a very talented individual and one of the players who has the skill-set that would be suitable to Super 15. He seemed very interested."

Wasps have offered Cipriani a new contract and their director of rugby, Tony Hanks, said: "We are hoping we will know more in the next couple of days and know where we stand."

Melbourne sent John Connolly, a former Australia coach, to England to sound out targets. Steve Borthwick, England's captain, and Nick Abendanon, of Bath, are thought to be among other players on their list. The Super 15 season starts next February and will clash with the Six Nations.

toomevara

Can't see it happening..massively retrograde step for him in terms of career. He could effectively kiss the WC goodbye and any chance of playing for England again in the forseeable future.

d'Oracle

toomevara wrote: »

Can't see it happening..massively retrograde step for him in terms of career. He could effectively kiss the WC goodbye and any chance of playing for England again in the forseeable future.

He had a chance at playing for England?

ki

It may be good for him as he is in the papers every day, as Kelly Brooke's bf.
but the timing is off, post world cup or last year would have suited more as he could sign a 2 year contract and still be back to compete for a WC squad place.

thomond2006

If plays Super 15 in 2011, his chance of playing in the World Cup are shot.

I do think he will leave Wasps though.

Risteard

He's still pretty young and moving to Australia would be an experience of a lifetime for him IMO. He would be vacating his chance to challenge for a WC spot but he's young enough to go back in a few years and mount a challenge.

ChemOC

Who cares? He's very inconsistent.

buck65

Good player. Badly treated by Johnson. Ok the kid is a bit wayward at times but mercurial, the choice of Andy Goode ahead of him speaks volumes about Johnsons management abilities.
Wilkinson since his return is there to kick the pens nothing more.

stephen_n

Well unless there is a change of management in the English camp he won't be going to the world cup one way or the other, could be good for his long term career though if he goes!

pappyodaniel

Only a few of years ago people were touting Cipriani to be the next big outhalf a la Dan Carter; a kicking, passing, running, tackling no.10. He is still young and most people forget he had a devastating ankle break in 2008. I haven't written off Cipriani just yet and maybe a move abroad might invigorate the man's interest in the game.

TarfHead

Maybe the gf is getting a role in Neighbours, or H&A ?

Sangre

If I were a club I'd definitely try and pick him up. Incredible talent who just needs some confidence and consistent gametime in a decent team.

Judgement Day

He won't be missed and there's no vacancy as Jonny is going to play on till forty at least!

toomevara

He's in contract negotiations with Wasps, and a few French clubs are after him (including Perpignan), all part of the game, sincerely doubt its a serious possibilty.

Oafley Jones

Wasn't the last contract Wasps offered him only 12 months? He's probably just using this as leverage.

andrewink

The best part about this story is not Cipriani, but the fact that Borthwick and Nick Abendanon are being lined up as potential recruits. Seems to me they approached a lot of contracted players in England, and this is making the news because Cipriani is the most high profile player to express an interest privately. Borthwick and Abendanon the others.

Borthwick may be England captain, but he won't travel to the RWC. Johnson will eventually see in him what the rest of us have been thinking and saying. He might as well head south

bamboozle

i wouldnt be at all suprised to see Stringer & Girvan Dempsey ending up there for a season

Judgement Day

And another one bites the dust! According to scrum.com it looks like Cipriani is definitely gone - http://www.scrum.com/england/rugby/story/109026.html

now if someone would just make an offer for Toby Flood.

wixfjord

Judgement Day wrote: »

And another one bites the dust! According to scrum.com it looks like Cipriani is definitely gone - http://www.scrum.com/england/rugby/story/109026.html

now if someone would just make an offer for Toby Flood.

Hmm I completely disagree with you here, as would many rugby followers. He has been playing very well for Leicester at 10, and through injuries has been a very good fly half. Hes Englands biggest hope imo. Where do you think Flood falls down?? I find this unbelieveable tbh/

Judgement Day

My comment about Toby Flood was tongue in cheek - I know he has been playing well for Leicester but I don't want any of these pretenders putting Jonny off his stride. I don't mind him playing in Flutey's position just keep him away from the No.10 slot.

toomevara

Judgement Day wrote: »

And another one bites the dust! According to scrum.com it looks like Cipriani is definitely gone - http://www.scrum.com/england/rugby/story/109026.html

now if someone would just make an offer for Toby Flood.

I think we can safely conclude from the tenor of Johnson's comments that if Cipriani makes the move he won't get near an England shirt while he remains in charge....

I had heard the allegations that Cipriani had fallen out with the England management, but discounted it as gossip, but if there's truth in it It may change the complexion of things...

CJhaughey

We will know after this 6N just how long MJ is going to be manager, It might be no bad thing for Cipriani to head down there especially if he isn't getting gametime and is being overlooked by the management.
Players often benefit by moving, look at Tommy Bowe for instance.
This might be of great benefit to a young player before he gets entrenched in the English setup and learns a bit more running rugby, especially as they are going to trial more freeflowing rugby in the S15 this year.

Crash

Confirmed:

scrum.com wrote:

Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani will leave the club at the end of the season after agreeing a move to the Melbourne Rebels.

The Guinness Premiership side released a statement today confirming that the 22-year-old will leave Adams Park in favour of a switch to the newly-formed Australian franchise that will enter an expanded Super 15 competition next year. His decision will effectively see his international career put on hold although he has already made clear his ambition to return to England in the future.

Cipriani, widely regarded as one of the most talented players in the game, has failed to make headway under the regime of England manager Martin Johnson and is hoping a a new challenge at the Rebels, who will be coached by former Wallabies boss Rod Macqueen, will improve his international chances.

"I have been given no indication that I am pushing for a place with England at the moment so it is up to me to ensure I am in contention in the future by challenging myself in new realms," said Cipriani. "I have some of the best coaches and players in the game around me at Wasps, which is why it has been so hard to make my decision, but I am still young enough to go away and experience something completely different. I want to be the best player I can be and this is a huge challenge and opportunity to test myself, on and off the pitch, because it will be changing everything I know.

"Leaving Wasps is very hard - this is my home, I have played here since I was 15," added Cipriani. "It is a very special Club because of what it has achieved and the people who are a part of it. I see this move as the next step in my career and would never rule out coming back to play in England. If I did, the first place I would look at is Wasps and we have already talked about that as a possibility for the future. I believe in the coaches and the players here and it will be very difficult to leave, but the decision has been made easier by having the support of Tony (Hanks) and Shaun (Edwards).

"Moving to Australia will be a new challenge. I have always admired the Super 14 as a tournament and the first team I ever followed was Wellington. I used to wake up and watch Christian Cullen and it was something I had always thought about. I think the opportunity of playing in a completely different tournament against different players at this time in my career will help me develop on and off the field.

Wasps' director of rugby Tony Hanks said, "Obviously we are disappointed that Danny is leaving, especially as he has worked hard on a return to form on the back of a couple of nasty injuries. However, knowing his reasons are based on rugby and personal development, we as a Club support his decision.

"Working with him for the last few weeks around this decision, we have looked at it more as a Wasp going on a sabbatical and, whilst nothing is guaranteed, Danny has expressed a desire to return to the Club later down the line. Wasps has been a big part of his life, especially in terms of his development in the last 6/7 years, and not many players get to experience another competition or another culture at only 22. I certainly believe this sort of sabbatical period is becoming more accepted in rugby, as we have seen in recent years - a prime example being All Black Luke McAlister. It was something that was more common in the amateur era and something that we used to encourage with high profile English cases including Martin Johnson, who travelled to New Zealand and played for the New Zealand U21s, and a number of others like Matt Dawson.

"From a Club perspective it is obviously disappointing for the fans, that they won't get to see Danny playing at Adams Park, but I am sure that they will follow his progress in Australia with a lot of interest. The news of Wasps departures has obviously dominated, with Sackey and now Cipriani, but we owe it to guys like these who have served the Club well before we move to the announcements about new players joining the squad. We have some very positive recruitment underway behind the scenes and there is a very positive feeling at the Club."

Cipriani has been named in the Wasps team for Sunday's Guinness Premiership clash against play-off rivals Saracens and news of his exit comes hot on the heels of Wasps' England wing Paul Sackey agreeing a two-year contract to play alongside Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon next term. Cipriani's decision to pursure a Super Rugby career also comes a day after another English fly-half - Andy Goode - secured a move to the Durban-based franchise The Sharks.

http://www.scrum.com/england/rugby/story/111668.html

Stev_o

Honestly it's probably a good move. He's young and talented he can learn a lot from playing down under against the likes of Carter, Steyn Giteau and the like. That style of rugby will probably suit him more aswell. His England chances where gone anyway when MJ decided to put his head on the chopping board during the AI 2008 anyway getting away from all the English media will probably do him good............only to be welcomed into the wrath that is the Aussie media of course.

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

Honestly it's probably a good move. He's young and talented he can learn a lot from playing down under against the likes of Carter, Steyn Giteau and the like. That style of rugby will probably suit him more aswell. His England chances where gone anyway when MJ decided to put his head on the chopping board during the AI 2008 anyway getting away from all the English media will probably do him good............only to be welcomed into the wrath that is the Aussie media of course.

Fascinating move, I'm genuinely surprised, but I guess from Cipriani's view, under the Johnson regime he's second choice for the Saxons, so if the Melbourne move works, could be inspired. Certainly puts Johnson under a little pressure too.

thomond2006

I actually thought that would try to bring Brock James back to Oz.

Good move for Cipriani, get away from the lose-lose situation he's in now.

Stev_o

thomond2006 wrote: »

I actually thought that would try to bring Brock James back to Oz.

Good move for Cipriani, get away from the lose-lose situation he's in now.

Why, he can't play SH rugby he's one dimensional as they get, if the French could cap him they would.

thomond2006

Stev_o wrote: »

Why, he can't play SH rugby he's one dimensional as they get, if the French could cap him they would.

I think we had this argument before Stevo!