The Welsh international will make the move 'Down Under' in September and is excited by the challenge ahead of him.

"I am delighted to join the Melbourne Rebels for their entrance into Super Rugby in 2011," Delve said. "The opportunity to test myself alongside the best players in world rugby in a competition I have grown up admiring, was one I couldn't refuse."

Delve is the Rebels' second high-profile signing from the Guinness Premiership, following the earlier capture of Danny Cipriani from London Wasps.

James left the Welsh camp after learning that Ospreys teenager Tom Prydie had been selected ahead of him for the meeting with the Azzurri at the Millennium. He has since refused to comment on the issue but Blues coach Young has revealed that the player is now ready to say sorry.

"From our point of view, it happened in the Welsh camp and has been dealt with internally by the Wales management but Tom will be the first to speak to Warren and Rob Howley this week," Young said. "I have already spoken to Tom and he knows he has made a mistake. I'm sure he will put his hand up and say he was wrong.

"But I'm sure Warren has had enough coaching experience to have seen this before. I'm sure he will understand and won't be perturbed by it. Tom wants to play and have a career with Wales and I don't see why Tom should not go on the summer tour. If he is in the best two or three wingers in Wales then he should go."

However, when contacted by the newspaper, Rebels chief executive Brian Waldron said that he could not confirm or deny the story, and that he would not be in a position to do so until after further contact with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU).

"The problem is you're reliant on the ARU to make announcements, so we're waiting on them to finalise things," he told The Sun-Herald. "But we're travelling ok. We have a few things…. we're just waiting on an ARU sign-off."

"We strongly feel that there wasn't any wilful intent or otherwise on the part of Nick to lift and drop the player," Force General Manager of Rugby Mitch Hardy is quoted as saying by AAP following a hearing in Perth on Sunday.

"We have to do what we feel is right for Nick and the team and will take it further to ensure the outcome is in-line with what happened in the game and by precedents set in other SANZAR cases.

"Sanctions should be in-line across all provinces and as recently as round two this season Chiefs No.8 Sione Lauaki was found guilty of a tipping tackle and received two weeks. Nick has received the same sanction despite the Judicial Officer hearing our case today admitting the Lauaki tackle was more severe. We look forward to presenting our case to the Appeals Board in the coming week."