1
RFU panel makes decision on Danny Cipriani
Danny Cipriani has been strongly reprimanded by an RFU independent disciplinary panel, but has escaped further punishment.
ADVERTISEMENT
The hearing in Bristol lasted almost five hours, with a statement coming from the RFU just before midnight.
“Danny Cipriani appeared before an independent disciplinary panel this evening charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game contrary to RFU Rule 5.12. This followed his conviction for common assault and resisting arrest in Jersey on 16 August 2018.
“Cipriani contested the charge but the panel comprising Gareth Graham (chair) with Mike Curling and Olly Kohn decided to uphold it. The panel imposed no further sanction over and above Gloucester’s sanction and actions of the court.
“Panel chair Gareth Graham said:“Danny Cipriani is expected to behave in line with the core values of the game which include respect and discipline. Those core values are not empty words or slogans as the panel were reminded during the hearing.
“By his guilty plea before the criminal court, Mr Cipriani accepts that he behaved in a way that, in the panel’s view, fell below the standard of behaviour expected of a rugby player. The panel were supported in reaching that decision by Gloucester Rugby’s own internal disciplinary hearing finding that his behaviour fell below the standard that the club expects.
“Mr Cipriani is a role model and by committing an act of common assault and by resisting arrest, the panel find his actions are prejudicial to the interests of the game.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The panel took in to account the sanction imposed upon Mr Cipriani by the court and the sanction imposed by Gloucester Rugby and when considering the totality of both, do not impose any further sanction. However, the panel do not agree that this is a ‘minor’ incident or ‘trivial’ and whilst they endorse the actions of Gloucester Rugby in fining Mr Cipriani and ordering that he complete 10 hours of work in the community, find that the decision of the RFU to bring a charge under Rule 5.12 was appropriate.”
It means Cipriani will be eligible for Gloucester’s Premiership opener against Northampton Saints on September 1st.
Earlier on Wednessday Gloucester named him in their team for a pre-season game with the Dragons on Thursday, where he was set to make his debut with the Cherry and Whites naturally keen to give their new England flyhalf some game time before the season starts.
On Tuesday the Rugby Players Association criticised the decision to press ahead with an RFU hearing after Gloucester sanctioned the player with a £2,000 fine along with 10 hours of community service.
ADVERTISEMENT
The RPA said they were “surprised” by the RFU’s decision, adding “Given that it related to an off-field, non-rugby related incident that occurred on club time, and had already been dealt with by the Jersey courts, we believe that it was appropriate for the matter to be dealt with by the club through its own disciplinary procedures. As Gloucester have now completed this process, we believe this should close the matter. We will be raising this directly with the RFU,” the RPA said in a statement.
Last week Gloucester’s CEO Stephen Vaughan hit out at the RFU’s decision to haul Cipriani before an independent disciplinary panel.
“There is no historic precedent of a player being singled out in this manner, and we feel that this disciplinary process has been influenced by the significant media coverage of this week’s events and other external factors and not based on the actual facts of the matter.
On Monday the club described the disturbance in Jersey as a “minor incident”, something which the RFU has subsequently vehemently disagreed with.
Cipriani’s former Wasps teammate James Haskell has come to the defence of the flyhalf and told RugbyPass on Tuesday that he feel the 30-year-old had been unfairly treated.
“I think to be honest with you, it’s been mulled over and over-analysed and as always, pundits with too much time on their hands or paid for their opinions have either split opinion by being quite vehement or understanding. Life throws all sorts of different things in the mix. You have to understand and wait for the facts.
“If we’ve learned anything from what happened with Stokes (Ben Stokes, England cricketer), the world lives now by trial by social media, everyone has an opinion. Mrs Miggins at number 35 is suddenly an expert, people who know nothing about anything are experts.
“I had to reply to one bloke who was telling me exactly why Danny had left Wasps. It was like me watching Oasis play through a shop window and then telling everyone how to play the guitar and how to sing which I know nothing about. Just because you think you know, doesn’t mean you know.
“I think it’s done, it’s done and dusted in my mind. He sent an apology, I think it was very well worded. I think I know him pretty well as a friend and an invididual. I think it’s time to move on. There’s plenty more to life than Cips and stuff that happened in Jersey. Everyone needs to calm down and get on with it. What’s done is done. In a court of law it was all addressed so we’re just conjecture and trying to steal headlines and put our two penny-worth in when nobody really cares.”
Last week Cipriani pleaded guilty to common assault and resisting arrest and was fined £2,000.
He was also ordered to pay a female police officer £250 in compensation arising from the incident at The Royal Yacht Hotel and Spa, St Helier.
Several reports claim Cipriani got into a disagreement with a bouncer after he wanted to bring a drink outside. According to The Sun witnesses heard Cipriani tell officers: “These wrists are gold, loosen the cuffs”.
Glouster Rugby had been carrying out pre-season training with the Jersey Reds on the island.
The 30-year-old, who has been capped 16 times for England, having come to the end of his second spell with Wasps at the end of last season.
The former Sale Sharks star returned to the England fold in June, starting the third Test against South Africa, having previously been overlooked for selection for three years.
He also counts Melbourne Rebels and Sale Sharks amongst his former clubs.
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments