Like many a relationship the one between Danny Cipriani and the Melbourne Rebels ended in tears. But not for the reasons everyone expected.
The mercurial Englishman and the Rebels parted ways on Monday, setting social media alight with questions about his latest indiscretion.
The Rebels defended the 24-year-old five-eighth, who has a history of off-field behavioural issues, and said Cipriani had simply decided to leave early so he could join Sale Sharks in northern England in time for the start of their season.
The tears, according to Cipriani, came after telling his Rebels teammates of his decision, leaving them to face the Bulls on Friday night without him or their injured Wallaby James O’Connor.
Cipriani, who is particularly close to O’Connor and fellow Wallaby Kurtley Beale, tweeted he couldn’t hold back the tears when telling the players his news.
“So I said goodbye to the boys: got 5/6 words out couldn’t hold my tears back. Thank u truly for making it special. Met some amazing people,” Cipriani tweeted.
“Very tight group of lads and only going to get stronger!! Thank you everyone… Some great memories.
“Going to be sad to leave all my team mates. Made some friends for life over here.”
Cipriani, capped seven times for England, couldn’t be contacted for further comment but Melbourne chief executive Steve Boland said he would be remembered for some of the Rebels’ best moments on the field.
Boland said the mid-season exit was always on the cards after he signed his three-year deal with Sale about six weeks ago.
“He was contracted to us until September but the English season starts in August and they start pre-season in June so it’s always a bit of a cross-over there.
“We knew from day one Danny’s eye was getting himself back in that England frame.”
Cipriani’s form was lacklustre in his last game against NSW but he showed flashes of brilliance in his time at Melbourne.
He also put his head down this season after being linked with a number of models and actresses as well as drinking issues in his first year.
With O’Connor sidelined until June with liver damage from the NSW game, Beale is set to step into the five-eighth role and he will be assisted in the backline by the return of skipper Stirling Mortlock.
His first appearance of the season was over-shadowed by Cipriani’s announcement.
Coach Damien Hill said the experience of Mortlock against the Bulls, who have only lost two games would be vital.
“There’s no substituting for 15 years’ experience at this level,” he said.
“He’s one of the most competitive players that I’ve ever come across and he’s our captain so it will be beneficial for him to rejoin our team.”
Ben S
Roar Guru
Really surprised, tbh, Colin. I'm no fan of Diamon (as a coach anyway - think he's too prone to emotive outbursts and gimmicks), but Sale played some really good stuff this season. The addition of Richie Gray could be brilliant (and a real fillip to what is already a mobile and good handling tight five), although he might struggle with the intensity of the AP in his first season. I think a lot rests on who the next coach is.
Colin N
Guest
What's your opinion on Sale? I thought they would be down near the bottom at the start of the season, but they've actually done pretty well with a new squad. The injury prevention has been very good and they've played some good rugby at times, although they have been inconsistent.
Ben S
Roar Guru
That's ironic. How exactly am in denial about NH rugby, and on what basis is the AP atrocious? So... Courtney Lawes, Tom Palmer, Geoff Parling, Tom Croft, Ben Morgan, Donncha O'Callaghan, Donncha Ryan, Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Brad Davies, Luke Charteris, Ian Evans, AW Jones, Sam Warburton, Toby Faletau, Richie Gray, Dave Denton, Ross Rennie, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Yannick Nyanga, Imanol Harinordoquy... Who does the SH have to compare in terms of dynamism or athleticism? Palu on form, Spies (in terms of pure athletic ability), Adam Thomson...
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
Massive unforfilled potential. That's the sad part. Once again cips has proven when the going gets tough he is out of there.
matthew
Guest
Disagree. You seem to be in denial about NH rugby.The Aviva premiership is atrocious.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Guess who Colin supports?!
Colin N
Guest
"Moving to Sale isn’t a bad choice as such, but they aren’t a club brimming with current internationals and he would benefit from playing on the front foot." Generally, the perception is that Sale are building and have effectively qualified for next season's Heineken Cup. They've signed Richie Gray, who rejected better offers from France and Saracens to join Sale. The pack has young talents like Henry Thomas and James Gaskell as well as some excellent players at lock and back-row: Richie Vernon, Dave Seymour, Hendre Fourie, Gaskell himself, as well as Andy Powell in the back-row and Myall, McKenzie, Ostrikov at lock. The backline doesn't contain 'stars' as such, although it does have Cueto, Tuitupou, Peel and now Cipriani, but it has some excellent young talent such as Tom Brady, Will Addison and Rob Miller. He didn't move to Sale because it was his only option, he moved because he felt there was the potential to thrive there.
Bakkies
Guest
I expected that he would seek an early release so he can have a break before Sale's pre season. A couple of young flyhalfs have stepped up a gear since he left so going back early makes sense
Brett McKay
Expert
really? Folau, by the length of the Hume Highway!!
Justin
Guest
KPM - is this another figment of your imagination? Suddenly Cips has been a scapegoat for all the losses? Everyone with half a brain knows the reasons behind the Rebels performances.
Justin
Guest
KPM - sorry mate but reports are his contract will be paid out. So yes he will be paid for not being there. I'm not looking for scapegoats, merely pointing out that principle IMO of players being paid out is not on... I flagged above I enjoyed having him here for 18months, he got plenty of publicity for the club. I dont know the structure of his contract but I dont want money wasted on him any further if he isnt here to earn it on the field.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Brett just think the AFL paid 1.5 million for Israel Folau for publicity, while the Rebels paid 200,000 for Cipriani. Now which gave more publicity to a new franchise? And even Cipriani's fiercest critics won't deny he's a better rugby players than Folau is an AFL player.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
sittingbison he would have left with their permission only. It seems to have been freely given. My supposition is that he was about to be dropped as was predicted in the press, and so he asked if he could just leave instead. The Rebels adhered to this as it made his time here look less unsuccessful than it would have been if he were out of the team for the next few weeks or on the bench. It's probably less of a big deal than it seems. More a case of mutual usefulness. What WILL be interesting to see is who will take the blame when the Rebels continue to lose WITHOUT Cipriani to blame. Then the reality that bad recruiting of forwards and bad coaching are really to blame for the Rebels woes rather than a scapegoat celebrity 10, will be made clear for all to see, that care to look. Perhaps Cipriani is doing this to show that it is NOT because of him that the Rebels lose.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Shungmao Hill seems to be one in a chain of overpromoted assistants along with Hickey and Foley who are causing significant damage to Australian franchises and weakening the strength of the conference.
sittingbison
Roar Pro
To be honest this worries me more than the RG and Genia debacles. Surely he was contracted for X number of seasons, lets say 2. Just because he signs with Sale mid season should not mean he packs his bags and goes, leaving the Rebels in the lurch. Surely Sales gets him when his CURRENT contract expires? RG and Genia ANNOUNCED they were changing franchises mid season which is not great for anyone, but actually LEAVING? That really is a fiasco. I actually believe there is more to this than meets the eye, and would like some investigative journalism rather than just reporting inane twits oops I meant tweets
Shungmao
Guest
KPM I agree with your coaching comment, rebels lack creativity and structure. It seems Hill is trying to hard to be the players friends rather than their coach, I know it a fine line but I needs to be there.
HardcorePrawn
Guest
Interesting to see that there's not been a raft of "Good riddance..."-style comments here, Danny has been nothing if not divisive, as comments written in response to every Roar article about either him or the Rebels has usually proven. I thought Danny did pretty well for the Rebels, bearing in mind that they've not exactly set the competition alight since inception. His performance in the Rebels first ever win, against the Brumbies in week 2 last year was exceptional and should not be overlooked, even by his most fervent detractors. And his presence in the first season did more to bring publicity to the fledgling team than probably the rest of the team combined. Writing as an Englishman, I'm sure that there will be a few less ex-pats (and star-struck young girls, naturally) attending games at Aami Park now he's gone too. What does surprise me though, and Melissa mentions it above, is that he's leaving when the Rebels' only other recognised kicker is out for 6 weeks. Even taking into account that Sale wanted him for pre-season training in June, you'd think that the Rebels management would have made every effort to hang on to him for the next few weeks at least.
Shungmao
Guest
See you at the doc's mate as the reds have crusaders and chiefs in the next few weeks.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
"He also put his head down this season after being linked with a number of models and actresses as well as drinking issues in his first year." Best line of the artilce. I think he will get a better entourage back home and will blossom as a rugby player. Dont blame him for having a go down under and enjoying the locals. England's n10 at the 2015 RWC.
Riccardo
Guest
Yeah mate, speaking of sharp... After Digby's try in the first 60 seconds FFS! Picture an overweight balding fella after a couple of nice glasses of Shiraz flailing wildly around the lounge in semi drunken despair. Latching onto the only worthy implement in the vicinity which happened to be a fork (fork you Digby!) and immediatley impaling said eyeball without any further ado! Frankly, it made the ensuing viewing more bearable as I could only see half of the gutless ineptitude on display.