DANNY CIPRIANI, the Wasps and England fly-half, had to withdraw from yesterday’s EDF Energy Cup match at Gloucester with what was initially feared to be a recurrence of problems in the ankle he broke and dislocated last season. However, it is expected that he will be fit for the opening of Wasps’ Heineken Cup campaign against Castres next Sunday.

Cipriani astonished medical opinion by returning for Wasps against Bath last Wednesday, six weeks before the most optimistic predictions. He suffered stiffness in his ankle, nothing more serious, and was removed from the Wasps’ match squad for yesterday purely on precautionary grounds. “Danny is fine, there was a degree of stiffness in the ankle, which is understandable, but there is no reason to believe that he will miss any more games and he should definitely be fine for Castres,” said Ian McGeechan, Wasps director of rugby, last night.

Yet the woe of Wasps continues. Their 24-19 defeat at the hands of Gloucester was their fifth out of six in all competitions this season and although they fielded what was a second-string side, McGeechan and his colleagues will be alarmed at the lack of momentum in a club expected to contend strongly for honours in Europe.

Gloucester’s own side was denuded of regulars but tries from Lesley Vainikolo and Willy Walker took them through in what was a relatively low-key opening to the EDF competition.

Elsewhere on the first day, there was a dramatic late score for Cardiff Blues at Sale Sharks, with a touchdown from wing Richard Mustoe giving them a victory by 18-17, the second defeat in a row for Sale after the club had opened the season so impressively.

Leicester rediscovered some of their momentum with a 19-15 away win against Bath at the Recreation Ground. But Bristol’s wretched start to the season continued, when the West Country team went down by 30-17 against Northampton, who are finding excellent form on their return to the Premiership and can now become contenders for the knockout stages of the Anglo-Welsh competition.