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Could Cipriani really be signing for Bath? - reports
By Online Editors
Wasps flyhalf Danny Cipriani could be staying in the Premiership after all - according to reports emerging this afternoon.
Cirpiani had been heavily linked to a big money deal in the Top 14 as his contract with Wasps - a second stint with the club - comes to an end.
Wasps confirmed that Cipriani would leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season and the talented playmaker has been considering his options since.
RugbyPass understands however that a move to Stade Francais - that had been rumoured in recent weeks - is not going ahead.
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Last week The Sun and now Somerset Live are claiming that the mercurial flyhalf is closing in on an unlikely move to Bath.
Bath already have two top-level 10s in the form of in-form former Wales flyhalf Rhys Priestland and Freddie Burns, both of whom are in the middle of contracts with the club.
According to Somerset Live however, Bath want a third flyhalf to add their stocks.
How having three top-level flyhavles - one of the best-paid positions in the sport - at one club within the salary cap doesn't initially appear to make sense. The fact that Priestland is not eligible to be selected for Wales under the new Senior Player Selection Policy (SPSP) and that Burns hasn't been invovled in an England setup for sometime means the club will not be losing either player during international windows.
Not unlike teammate James Haskell - the fact that the in-demand Cipriani is yet to sew up a deal has raised eyebrows as the Premiership season draws to a close. He has however been linked to moves to both France and Japan, and is not expected to be anywhere near Eddie Jones Rugby World Cup plans.
The former Sale Sharks and Melbourne Rebels pivot is to be replaced by All Black Lima Sopaga at Wasps next season.
Upon the news breaking that he was leaving Wasps the 30-year-old reflected that: “I will be sad to leave Wasps, but my job is far from finished and I can promise the fans my absolute all until the end of the season as we tackle the mission ahead of us.
“I will now take some time to decide my next move.”
Cipriani made 95 appearances for Wasps in his first stint at the club, before moving to Australia to spend two seasons with the Melbourne Rebels (2011-12), returning to England in 2012 to join Sale Sharks.
He returned to Wasps where brought his total appearances to 143 over the course of the last two seasons.
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Agree with Wilson B- at best. And that is down to skilled individual players who know how to play the game - not a cohesive squad who know their roles and game plan. For those who claim that takes time to develop, the process is to keep the game plan simple at first and add layers as the squad gels and settles in to the new systems. Lack of progress against the rush D, lack of penetration and innovation in the mid-field, basic skill errors and loose forwards coming second in most big games all still evident in game 14 of the season. Hard to see significant measureable progress.
Go to commentsKeep telling yourself that. The time for a fresh broom is at the beginning - not some "balanced, incremental" (i.e. status quo) transition. All teams establish the way forward at the beginning. This coaching group lacked ideas and courage and the players showed it on the pitch. Backs are only average. Forwards are unbalanced and show good set piece but no domination in traditional AB open play. Unfortunately, Foster - Mark 2. You may be happy with those performances and have some belief in some "cunning plan" but I don't see any evidence of it. Rassie is miles ahead and increasing the gap.
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