Ruck and Maul: Cipriani set to join Kiwi province as a warm-up for Super 15

Danny Cipriani is ready to kick off his career Down Under by playing for a province in New Zealand. The Wasps fly-half might otherwise be left with an eight-month lag in competitive rugby between the end of the English season in May and the kick-off of the Super 15 with his new team, Melbourne Rebels, early next year. "Danny's a real important signing for us and he's been sensational in our dealings with him," the Rebels' chief executive, Brian Waldron, told Ruck and Maul. "We'd love to welcome him to our beautiful city in June, or he's got the choice of provincial rugby in New Zealand until September or October. I can see him having two good years or even more in Melbourne and then being able to name his own price if he wants to go home." There was no indication which New Zealand province Cipriani might join, though Wellington may have a vacancy as they are reportedly losing All Black utility back Tamati Ellison to a club in Japan before the domestic league, the Air New Zealand Cup, begins in late July. The Rebels will include Cipriani among "six to 10" newcomers – most of them Australians – to be announced tomorrow. They are waiting on Gloucester's No 8 Gareth Delve to decide whether his recall by Wales yesterday has altered his intention to move to Melbourne. The 30-man Rebels squad – to be coached by Rod Macqueen, Damien Hill, Mark Bakewell (formerly with Bath), Matt Cockbain and Nathan Grey – may not get together completely until next January. "It has got to the stage where we will be rejecting overtures from players wanting to join us," said Waldron, a new figure in rugby union after five years as the chief executive officer of Melbourne Storm in rugby league and, before that, management stints in Australian Rules with St Kilda and Richmond.

Dead-ball ruling

Still scratching your head over whether Scotland could have kicked the ball dead against Wales last month and taken a draw, or whether France's Frédéric Michalak was within the laws when he booted the ball to touch to seal the win for Les Bleus in Cardiff? So were the Welsh Rugby Union, who tabled a request for clarification to the International Rugby Board and have been answered with a Laws Ruling which (let us pray) removes any doubt. In summary, if a referee allows a restart kick to be taken, he must also allow any line-out, penalty or scrum arising from that restart, even if the 80 minutes of play has elapsed. To put it another way, Michalak and France got away with it. Zut alors!

No Good Friday agreement

Never on a Friday? The Ospreys have been forced by a lack of front-row players to call off their Magners League match in Ulster next Friday, and they are awaiting a possible disciplinary sanction from Celtic Rugby. Meanwhile, in Limerick, several pub owners are in a froth over the 2 April date for the sell-out Munster versus Leinster match. It's Good Friday, and while the bars at the Thomond Park stadium will be permitted to sell alcohol to supporters, the city's pubs are forbidden from doing so on this Catholic holy day. Yet another case of broadcasters calling the tune, or in this case time, gentlemen please.

hughgodwin@yahoo.co.uk