England will be able to add Danny Cipriani to their squad for the autumn Tests two weeks before the date of the first, against the Pacific Islanders on November 8, given that Jonny Wilkinson has been ruled out for the rest of the year. They will not, however, be able to call up the form players in the problem position of full-back, Olly Morgan and Nick Abendanon.
Under the new agreement between the Rugby Football Union and Premier Rugby up to five changes are allowed to the elite squad after it is announced on July 1, all in the event of injury. Up to five alterations on grounds of form will be allowed on January 1. There is an exceptional-circumstance clause but it has yet to be tested.
Cipriani will be added if he proves his form and fitness for Wasps, having returned from a broken ankle. Wasps will get £5,000 for every Premiership match he misses because of Test commitments. He can only become a long-term squad member in January, at the expense of Wilkinson or someone else. In the meantime Newcastle will continue to receive compensation payments for Wilkinson.
Premier Rugby says the RFU did not want provision for changes to be made between July and the end of December on grounds of form. "The point of the agreement was that the top 32 players in the country would have time to prepare for matches together," said Mark McCafferty, its chief executive. "It was a reaction to the chopping and changing in the past, where there was often a lack of continuity in selection, to England's detriment.
"The form issue only applies to the November internationals because changes are allowed in January. Late call-ups would affect clubs because they would not have budgeted for losing a player for three months and would therefore not have lined up a replacement."
Asked if Cipriani would have been deemed an exceptional case if Wilkinson had not been injured, McCafferty said: "Maybe, because when the squad was named in July he was expected to be unavailable for the November internationals, but the rule is untested."
He criticised the Scottish RU for reporting Premier Rugby to the international board last week after 10 players were not released for national training. "We had written to the SRU offering three blocks of three consecutive training days in the season, at no compensation, but we did not receive a reply," he said.
Northampton have appealed against the flanker Neil Best's 18-week ban for gouging. The case will be heard on Monday.
