Top 14: Bayonne mourn singer Mixu’s death;
French clubs line up Cipriani and Haskell
03 January 2009
Bayonne’s home draw with Castres (see
report) was overshadowed by the death of
Basque singer Michel “Mixu” Mixelena on Friday night.
The
former leader of Sustraia suffered a heart attack minutes
before the start of the game as he returned to sit with his
wife and children in the stands after parading on the pitch
with Pottok, the club mascot.
Emergency services worked to revive Mixelena for more than
an hour but the singer was subsequently pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, Danny Cipriani, the hottest property in
English rugby, could be heading to France next season
because his wage demands are proving too high for Guinness
Premiership clubs.
The
international fly-half, who is currently in a high-profile
romance with model Kelly Brook, is out of contract at London
Wasps at the end of the season and negotiations appear to
have stalled due to the salary cap imposed on English clubs.
Now, according to reports in the British
newspaper The Sun, he is considering a move to the
Top 14 – where money would not be problem – with clubs such
as Perpignan and Stade Francais apparently keeping a
watching brief on developments.
Cipriani
is reported to be seeking a £350,000 annual salary to
reflect his elevated status within the English game but
Wasps are in no financial position to afford that.
The
21-year-old is keen to stay in London but Saracens,
Harlequins and London Irish – the three other capital clubs
– are not currently showing an interest.
A friend
of the player was quoted in The Sun saying: Danny wants to
stay in London but Wasps aren’t offering the money he wants.
“The
club can’t afford the kind of wages some other clubs are
playing, but all Danny wants is parity now he’s an England
player.
“He came
through the ranks with James Haskell and Dom Waldouck and is
one of the lower earners. But that doesn’t reflect his
status in England as one of the most promising players in
the world.
“He
doesn’t want to play outside of London in the Premiership
but the idea of going to France for a short spell has been
mentioned. As long as Martin Johnson [the England coach]
doesn’t mind from an England point of view, it is something
he would explore.”
And it
now seems that Cipriani's Wasps colleague James Haskell
could also be heading across the water with Stade
Francais reported to be interested in signing the
23-year-old flanker.
Haskell,
like Cipriani, is unhappy with the terms of a new contract
offer made by chairman Steve Hayes.
However,
one player not coming to France is former Wallaby Mat
Rogers. The veteran full-back had apparently made a
verbal agreement to join Toulon next season, but president
Mourad Boudjellal said the 33-year-old hand now changed his
mind.
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