Depressed Danny: I get no sympathy here.. that's why I'm off to Australia
Cipriani kicked a hat-trick of penalties at Adams Park where long-time leaders Saracens were denied a single scoring chance.
He then left the field applauding those who had made the effort to see one of his last performances in English rugby.
After the game the talk was of a gifted young English player who has "no limitations to play unbelievably at fly-half".
But even then the man being hailed by Saracens boss Brendan Venter was not Cipriani, but his full-back Alex Goode.
It was all rather sad, particularly viewed against the backdrop of Cipriani's admission the "negativity" towards him plunged him into depression as he was overlooked by Martin Johnson.
"There has been so much negativity surrounding me, from coaches, pundits, all sorts of others. It's been depressing. I've never made any secret of the fact I want to have a career with England. I could have improved so much by now if I'd been given the chance. The best way to get away from all the negativity is to go to Melbourne."
For Cipriani not to acknowledge any fault on his own part in this sorry saga is both revealing and highly relevant.
Unquestionably he is a talent but he has been his own worst enemy. What a pity that more of those close to him chose not to point that out.
"My rugby has made me depressed and I have to get back to feeling good about myself and back to being called confident, not arrogant," he said. When I came through as an 18-year-old I could never have dreamt I'd feel so down about my rugby as I have been lately."
The governing body's director of elite rugby, Rob Andrew, conceded yesterday that no such agreement exists, but insisted England had received assurances from the player's advisers that his contract covered all training sessions and rest periods between Tests. However, his contract does not contain such detail.
Stade owner Max Guazzini is incensed by the rigid stance of England and the RFU, given that his club have an injury crisis and have released their player whenever they have been asked to do so. They have issued a written warning to Haskell for missing training, brought in independent legal advisers to verify his absence and have made threats about re-negotiating his contract.
Haskell spoke to Stade yesterday and is aware of the scale of their anger. But the RFU are determined to avoid this becoming a test case which opens the way for French clubs to either withdraw players or demand compensation for allowing them to fulfil England duties.
Haskell has been told that if he goes back to play for Stade, he will be banished from the squad and may struggle to fight his way back. As one source put it: 'They're going to hang him out to dry and if it means he's the sacrificial lamb, then so be it.'
Cipriani put his disillusionment to one side yesterday to kick Wasps back into the Premiership's top four against long-time leaders Saracens.
The visitors crashed to their third defeat in four league games and left Venter cursing their lack of intensity in a first-half dominated by a rejuvenated Wasps pack.
Cipriani put them ahead with a penalty in the second minute and added a second eight minutes later. Before half-time he had the chance to bury Saracens yet missed two chances. But he sealed the deal soon after the break.
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