Cipriani, Alun Wyn eye Japan jackpot
DANNY CIPRIANI and Alun Wyn Jones have been invited to climb on board the Oriental gravy train and join the global galaxy in Japan.
Cipriani, 33, who has been a free agent since leaving Gloucester in December, has attracted the interest of several clubs from the Premiership, France and Japan.
The former Premiership and RPA Player of the Year has been speaking to Bath about moving to the West Country for next season.
But Japan’s booming Top League, where headline acts like Beauden Barrett reportedly earn £750,000 for three months’ work, is now the most likely next destination for Cipriani. He has been speaking to a handful of Top League outfits looking for a flyhalf for next season.
Toyota Shokki, who signed Freddie Burns from Bath for this season, are one of the clubs interested.
The revelation of an offer for Jones comes amid negotiations between the Welsh Rugby Union and Jones’ financial advisors over a new contract.
Already the world’s most-capped player, Jones may well find the prospect of extending his 15-year Test career more appealing than following fellow Lion George Kruis and a clutch of old All Black rivals into Japan.
Despite his WRUOspreys contract running out at the end of the season, Jones has no intention of retiring.
His enduring success, underlined by last week’s collection of the Triple Crown trophy, will have reinforced head coach Wayne Pivac’s belief in the Ospreys’ lock lasting until the World Cup in 2023.
Nobody knows better than Jones that Wales gives him the best chance of achieving that goal by which time he will be 38.
His employers have to decide whether to reward their captain, 36 at the start of next season, with two more years through to what would be a fifth World Cup, a feat achieved by only one player, Samoan centre Brian Lima.
Ireland stopped short of doing that in respect of another 35-year-old Lion, Johnny Sexton. The IRFU, as short of high-class flyhalves as Wales are second rows, hedged their bets in granting their fly-half a one-year extension.
Rewarding Jones with two more years would be less of a gamble for the WRU given his impressive track record for staying largely in one piece over the course of almost
450 matches. A contractual clause allowing him to take a sabbatical as Barrett and other All Blacks, would not work because Japan’s Top League clashes with the Six Nations.
Jones expects to have his future resolved by the end of the month.
After three Lions tours, Jones still can’t be sure if he will be making a fourth in the summer. At the end of another week without a verdict on whether the tour will go ahead and, if so, where, the Lions’ board did take a decision which cut their options by a third.
They turned down Rugby Australia’s offer to host the three-Test series. Despite assurances of capacity crowds and a £10m profit, the Lions were unable to reach agreement.
“We made an offer to help them out,’’ Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said from Sydney last night. “They have declined that offer which is fine. It’s still there if they need it. We wished them the best of luck.’’
The Springboks are understood to have made a last-ditch attempt to salvage the tour and ensure it takes place in South Africa as scheduled, an unlikely scenario given the Covid crisis. Sources deny the tour will be postponed or cancelled and say the Lions intend it to go ahead in Britain and Ireland.
Fiji and the American Eagles are being lined up along with the Barbarians and Japan as non-Test fixtures for the Boks who have not played since winning the World Cup.
The Lions board will try to reach a decision this week pending a reaction to their request asking the Government to underwrite the cost of tour.