Danny Cipriani's miserable exile in Australia looks like reaching an early end, after the fly-half was left out of the Melbourne Rebels squad for a fourth consecutive match.
The Rebels, who have been in talks with Cipriani and his agent all week, denied reports that the 23-year old, who has a year to run on his deal, had walked out. But negotiations on an addendum to Cipriani's contract stalled and the Rebels refused to consider him for their match against the Stormers in Melbourne. He has not played since 30 April. It is understood that the Rebels wanted Cipriani, who has been disciplined twice this year, first for stealing a bottle of vodka in a night club and then for breaking a team curfew after a match and missing a training session, to sign a behavioural agreement.
"The Melbourne Rebels administration continues to work through a number of issues with Danny Cipriani and his management," said Steve Boland, the franchise's chief operating officer. "These discussions are now moving in a very positive direction but at the moment Danny remains unavailable for selection."
If Cipriani refuses to agree to a clause binding him to good behaviour, it is likely that the Rebels will release him. It has been reported in Australia that the Rebels coach, Rod Macqueen, who played a major role in recruiting the fly-half from Wasps, has lost patience. "We will be advised by our administrators," he said.
Bath, who are in the market for a fly-half after Butch James returned to South Africa, were approached by Cipriani's representatives. The club's director of rugby, Ian McGeechan, worked with Cipriani at Wasps but the players made it clear they would not welcome him. The New Zealander Stephen Donald, an All Black back-up to Dan Carter, has emerged as the likely successor to James.
British rugby's other celebrity player, Gavin Henson, will play for Wales on Saturday, more than two years after he won his 31st cap. He will partner Jonathan Davies in the centre in the capped match against the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium.
Henson has started three matches since ending a sabbatical from the game that started in the summer of 2009, one for Saracens and two for Toulon, who last month declined to take up a two-year deal, largely because they did not expect Henson to be available during the World Cup.
When Henson joined Saracens last November, he declared that his goal was to play in the World Cup, having missed out in 2003 and 2007. The Wales coach, Warren Gatland, who has been criticised for recalling a player who has had so little game time, expects Henson to justify the faith shown in him.
"It is an opportunity for Gavin to do his talking on the rugby pitch," said Gatland. "We have Andrew Bishop, Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies and now Scott Williams [as midfield options] but we need some depth. We want Gavin to do well and put some pressure on the established guys. He tells us it is fantastic to be back in this environment, that he has really missed it and is loving his rugby at the moment. That is a real positive and he knows he needs to let his rugby do the talking now."
The fly-half Stephen Jones will become the second Wales player, after Gareth Thomas, to win 100 caps and the Ospreys prop Ryan Bevington and the Newport Gwent Dragons No8 Toby Faletau will make their debuts. The bench includes three uncapped players, Scott Andrews, Scott Williams and Lloyd Burns.
"We have tried to get the right mixture of youth and experience in the side," said Gatland. "I would like to think the young players saw this as a good chance. Stephen has reached a fantastic milestone but he still has much to give. It is a testament to him that he is still hungry.
"He is not limping towards a century of caps with a sense of relief but bursting through the landmark, focused on the matches ahead and the World Cup."
Wales: Stoddart (Scarlets); North (Scarlets), Davies (Scarlets), Henson (unattached), Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons); S Jones (Scarlets), Phillips (Ospreys); Bevington (Ospreys), Bennett (Ospreys), James (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), Warburton (captain, Cardiff Blues), Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons). Replacements: Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), Andrews (Cardiff Blues), AW Jones (Ospreys), Turnbull (Scarlets), Knoyle (Scarlets), Priestland (Scarlets), Williams (Scarlets).
