THE Bulls set off for Australia with their first of four matches a difficult encounter against the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday.
The Rebels, who have won only two of their eight games, have let England flyhalf Danny Cipriani go before the end of his contract. Not that this will be any relief for the Bulls because the former Wasps man has been far from a success in the Super 15.
He has played only 18 times for the Rebels, scoring 122 points.
Recently he has been regularly replaced by Kurtley Beale at flyhalf.
The Rebels claim that they let Cipriani go to give the 24-year-old the "best opportunity" of regaining his England place. Cipriani won the last of his seven caps for England in November 2008. He has now signed a three-year deal with Sale Sharks in Manchester.
Cipriani had spoken to England coach Stuart Lancaster in December about a move back to the English Premiership.
"I've made no secret of my desire to play for England again and I believe leaving the Melbourne Rebels now will give me the best opportunity to do that," he said in thanking the Rebels for allowing him to leave midway through his contract. "I feel I have developed my game in my time in Australia and become a more complete player."
Cipriani had a mixed experience in Melbourne. He was "stood down" by his teammates last May for partying into the early hours of a Sunday following the Super 15 club's defeat by the Waratahs in Sydney.
He was also fined by the team in March last year and warned he would be dropped if he misbehaved again after he took a bottle of vodka from a nightclub without paying.
Cipriani was famously dropped by England ahead of his proposed debut against Scotland in the 2008 Six Nations Championship for being spotted in a nightclub.
Bulls off to face Rebels
THE Bulls set off for Australia with their first of four matches a difficult encounter against the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday.
The Rebels, who have won only two of their eight games, have let England flyhalf Danny Cipriani go before the end of his contract. Not that this will be any relief for the Bulls because the former Wasps man has been far from a success in the Super 15.
He has played only 18 times for the Rebels, scoring 122 points.
Recently he has been regularly replaced by Kurtley Beale at flyhalf.
The Rebels claim that they let Cipriani go to give the 24-year-old the "best opportunity" of regaining his England place. Cipriani won the last of his seven caps for England in November 2008. He has now signed a three-year deal with Sale Sharks in Manchester.
Cipriani had spoken to England coach Stuart Lancaster in December about a move back to the English Premiership.
"I've made no secret of my desire to play for England again and I believe leaving the Melbourne Rebels now will give me the best opportunity to do that," he said in thanking the Rebels for allowing him to leave midway through his contract. "I feel I have developed my game in my time in Australia and become a more complete player."
Cipriani had a mixed experience in Melbourne. He was "stood down" by his teammates last May for partying into the early hours of a Sunday following the Super 15 club's defeat by the Waratahs in Sydney.
He was also fined by the team in March last year and warned he would be dropped if he misbehaved again after he took a bottle of vodka from a nightclub without paying.
Cipriani was famously dropped by England ahead of his proposed debut against Scotland in the 2008 Six Nations Championship for being spotted in a nightclub.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos