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Danny Cipriani could potentially leave his Gloucester contract a year early

Danny Cipriani

Despite signing a two-year deal in the summer of 2018, Danny Cipriani’s future might not be at Kingsholm next season.

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The fly-half agreed to terms with Gloucester following his recall to the England squad for the tour of South Africa last year, passing up much more lucrative offers in France in order to stay in the Gallagher Premiership and keep himself in contention for the Rugby World Cup.

RugbyPass understands that the 31-year-old signed for close to £200k with the Cherry and Whites, turning down offers of over double that from France, in a remarkable show of his determination and desire to play for England again.

With those opportunities drying up since the South Africa tour, with Owen Farrell preferred at 10 and George Ford currently the incumbent bench option, the former Wasps fly-half potentially has multiple paths he could take in the coming months.

Continue reading below…

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RugbyPass understands that the second year of his deal with Gloucester has a release clause in it that can be activated by the player and that negotiations to restructure that second year of his deal have stalled with the club. Those negotiations also included the possibility of an extension beyond the 2019/20 season.

Cipriani’s market value clearly outstrips the financial package he is currently on, but Gloucester are constrained by their salary cap situation next season, having already added big ticket players such as Jaco Kriel, Franco Mostert and Matt Banahan in 2018. To lock Cipriani down beyond that – and take away any possibility of a release clause being invoked – Gloucester would have to backload the contract, both limiting their salary cap flexibility in 2020/21 and tying up a significant amount of money in a player that would turn 33 in that season.

Gloucester fly-half Danny Cipriani
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One club that are reportedly interested in Cipriani’s services, should he exercise a release clause, are Harlequins, but they face similar salary cap constraints to Gloucester. RugbyPass understands that the only way they could table an offer appetising enough to lure Cipriani away from the West Country is if Demetri Catrakilis were to move on from the club, something which looks unlikely at this point.

Bath are in the market for a fly-half with Rhys Priestland leaving the Rec at the end of the season, but if reports are to be believed, they are closing in on the signing of Gareth Anscombe from the Cardiff Blues, leaving Cipriani with few options in England, where clubs have largely finalised their squads for next season and are at or close to the salary cap.

With a number of big-name fly-halves coming off contract in the summer of 2020, it is unlikely to be the buyers’ market that the then 32-year-old would want to go into for possibly the last sizeable contract he will sign as a professional player. A potential move at the end of this season to reflect his market value would make sense for his future and cannot be taken off the table.

He has been an integral part of Gloucester’s renaissance this season under Johan Ackermann but there is only so much leeway they have under the salary cap to renegotiate his deal and offer him better terms. They certainly do not have the flexibility to offer him the sort of deal that he was being offered last season by Top 14 clubs.

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The likely option, as things stand, would be for Cipriani not to invoke any options he has in his contract and see out the second year of his deal with Gloucester, before testing his value on the market in 2020. If a French or Japanese club with space in their budgets were to come in for the playmaker, however, no one could begrudge Cipriani taking the offer sooner, with Eddie Jones and England having seemingly turned away from him.

Watch: Eddie Jones and Owen Farrell talk to the press after the 21-13 loss to Wales

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P
PL 53 minutes ago
Lions Tour Aussie takes: Bigger is better, the stars who failed to fire

I find it interesting that journalists who have done nothing in rugby comment on selections & coaching like they are experts

Concussive injury’s will remove insurance cover from the game unless their is strict application of the laws designed to remove MND Parkinson’s and CTE from the game


Head on head I saw red to Adam Coleman as tackler for Irish while unconscious on a stretcher - concussions occur without twitching on the ground or the wobbly boot - I know I had maybe 20 from rugby


The officiating of last feet is non existent

The lack of effective wrap by Lions front rower & that decision had a close relationship with ordure in a toilet

A head on head tackle red for Coleman not even penalty lead to a try in a phase or 2


Powys v Evans lead to a £> 2 mill verdict against the ref personally special leveraged to Hiuse of Lords

Refs will stop reffing with no insurance then no game


About 5 years ago 4 or 5 French colts died from head hits in elite club games - that led to below sternum law - hamlets honoured in breach not observance

Last feet non existent - enforcement favour flowing rugby nor lions meat grinder forwards get momentum and puck & drive NZ Vowel noise


The UK Class Action could be very well be lost WRC will try every dirty trick in case they already used dial a neuros to argue the unarguable is law gossip


I reffed ref coached & assessed for ruffly 17 seasons


The application of laws is like a zig zag on speed

Line out laws not enforced scrums tight pulling loose down one side mirror on other side elbow pointing to ground stretch marks on jersey

Der moment the refs need to go Soec Savers

My bet unless they stop lack of intestinal fortitude game management


Yellow every time head contact or above sternum


Needs sterner GMGs material impact removed set piece caterpillar remove

Last feet to last feet + 1 m


When I reffed I kept them well apart - hated me till they got over yellow and they actually had fun & complemented me post game backs had room and pick and drive had momentum


As for intentional foul play like tackle in air auto red no replacement 100,000 fine player 250,000 club


Treble it for international 26 week suspension & it’s disappear over night

25 were scrum for dissent


Penalty all this rubbish shots at opponents after error


All the s.ite would disappear


The pathetic unsportsmanlike behaviour would lead to standards


Remember Les Boyd’s penalty re Brohman -if that is the way we treat foul play but while foul play with potential serious injury with a feather duster like we are the game is destined to no insurance following that no refs cause would you risk bankruptcy like Powys v Evans

1 Go to comments
S
Soliloquin 2 hours ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

For Fischer, many people in France are still doubting him - it’s the first time he has a full season (31 games). Before, he was always injured at some point. He’s 27, so not the youngest, and you have a younger Boudehent or Jégou behind.

His physicality is incredible, but he didn’t prove he’s got hands. He just proved he was able to defend like a beast.

But you know, even Cros has improved his handling skills lately, so it’s never too late!

And he will play the Champions Cup with a solid Bayonne side, so let’s see!


I don’t agree with ‘only Fischer’: Brennan proved he’s a great 4/7 utility player, and Galthié likes those very much (Woki or Flament). He’s 23, playing for Toulouse with high concurrence, so the prospect is good. I rate him higher than Auradou, who had a few games in the 6 Nations.

For Depoortère, he had a more silent season than the previous one - injured at the worst moment during the Autumn Tests series - but came back strong with a Champions Cup and a solid partnership with Moefana. What could save him would be to start playing as a 12 when Moefana isn’t there, bulking up and become the new Jauzion.

But he’s 22 and an incredible talent at 13. His height makes me think he had more potential than your fan favorite Costes or the utility player that is Gailleton.


As for Montagne or Mallez, with the lack of quality in props, they could find a spot!

Especially Mallez who’s got a good spot to get behind Baille at Toulouse. Neti isn’t the youngest and hasn’t an international level.


And again, as Ugo Mola said, you never play with your best team.

So 30-32 player is more of a 38-40, so you need back-ups.

France knows very well how useful they can be during RWCs.

237 Go to comments
S
Soliloquin 2 hours ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Hastoy was a good prospect before the 2023 RWC, he was the fly-half who led La Rochelle to the victory in the Champions Cup final in Dublin against Leinster.

But he made it to the squad only because Ntamack got his ACL.

He played against Uruguay, which a terribly poor game by the French side, and since then he declined a bit, alongside his club.

Under the pressure of Reus and West at 10, he regained some credit at the end of the season (among all a drop at the 81st minute of a game).

He’s quite good everywhere, but not outstanding.

He doesn’t have the nerves, the defense and the tactical brain of Ntamack, the leadership and the creativity of Ramos or the exceptional attacking skills of Jalibert.


I really hope that:

-Ntamack will get his knee back. The surgery went well. He wasn’t the most elusive player in the world, but he was capable of amazing rushes like the one against NZ in 2021 or the Brennus-winning try in 2023.

-Jalibert will continue to improve his defense. He started working hard since March (after his defensive disaster against England) with a XIII specialist, and I’ve seen great moments, especially against Ntamack in the SF of the Champions Cup. It’s never too late. And it would be a great signal for Galthié.

-Hastoy will build up his partnership with Le Garrec, that La Rochelle will start a new phase with them and Niniashvili, Alldritt, Atonio, Boudehent, Jegou, Bosmorin, Bourgarit, Nowell, Wardi, Daunivucu, Kaddouri, Pacôme…

237 Go to comments
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