Danny Cipriani says he will “take some time to decide my next move” following confirmation he is to be released by Wasps at the end of this season. The 30-year-old fly-half, capped 14 times by England, has options in France and Japan but will be giving up any prospect of reviving his international career if he does opt to move abroad.
It will be the second time Cipriani has parted company with Wasps, having previously left them in 2010 before rejoining in 2016 after spells with Melbourne Rebels and Sale Sharks. Wasps have already recruited the All Blacks fly-half Lima Sopoaga for next season and with his highly-rated countryman, the backrower Brad Shields, also due to arrive, the club have been under increasing pressure to offload some some higher-paid senior players.
Danny Cipriani: ‘I’ve had talks with a French club but nothing’s decided yet’
James Haskell, Guy Thompson and now Cipriani will all be playing elsewhere next season, with Wasps having been fined £20,000 in recent days by Premiership Rugby for overrunning the salary cap limit for last season by just over £40,000.
“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,” said Cipriani, who continued his excellent recent form by helping his 14-man side beat Harlequins 44-22 at the Stoop on Sunday. His director of rugby, Dai Young, also remains hopeful the fly-half will leave on a high note. “Now this decision has been made public we can all concentrate on the really important three-and-a-half months of rugby which lies ahead.”
Wasps, however, may have to do without Kyle Eastmond against Exeter on Sunday following the centre’s red card for a high tackle on Quins’s Marcus Smith. Eastmond has also been cited for a second dangerous tackle on Ross Chisholm in the same game and will appear before a disciplinary hearing in Coventry this evening.