Danny Cipriani charge continues as RFU ignores pleas from Gloucester and RPA to drop action following arrest

Rugby Players’ Association has joined Gloucester in calling for the Rugby Football Union to drop its charges against the England international after he was arrested last week

The Rugby Football Union has ignored pleas for the charge against Danny Cipriani regarding his arrest last week to be dropped, and has demanded that the Gloucester and England fly-half attends a disciplinary hearing to explain “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game”.

The 30-year-old was arrested in the early hours of last Wednesday morning outside a St Helier nightclub and pleaded guilty to assaulting a bouncer and resisting arrest. Jersey Magistrates’ Court fined Cipriani £2,000 and ordered him to pay £250 compensation to a female police officer who was left with a bruise on her arm and marks to her neck, while Gloucester have also fined the England international the same figure, along with ordering him to carry out 10 hours of community service with the club’s coaching programmes for local children.

Despite taking action against Cipriani after an internal review, Gloucester hit out at the RFU for their decision to charge him too. The club were under the impression that any disciplinary action would be left to Gloucester, and that no RFU announcement would be made until their internal investigation was completed.

But the RFU have since charged the former Wasps half-back with “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game contrary to RFU Rule 5.12”, and confirmed that he will be due to appear before an independent disciplinary panel chaired by Gareth Graham in Bristol on Wednesday evening.

A sternly-worded statement was released by Gloucester chief executive Stephen Vaughan, and the Rugby Players’ Association [RPA] has followed in suit by urging the RFU to drop the charge.

“The RPA was surprised to learn the RFU had charged Danny Cipriani with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game contrary to RFU Rule 5.12,” a statement read.

“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 16-cap international is yet to play for Gloucester since joining from Wasps in the summer and was due to make his first appearance in pre-season against Ulster last weekend. But due to the fallout from his arrest and subsequent guilty plea, he was not selected for the match in Northern Ireland.

Danny Cipriani will face an disciplinary hearing after the RFU charged him over his arrest (PA)

The Cherry and Whites have one more fixture ahead of the start of the new Premiership campaign, against the Dragons on Thursday evening, and head coach Johan Ackerman plans on selecting Cipriani providing he is available, having commended his start to training since arriving at the club at the start of the month.

"The players know his side and they back him and believe in him 100 per cent,” Ackermann said. “We are totally focused on the job ahead. Credit to Danny, he has slotted in with the team and has put it behind him. He is a positive influence and has already contributed a lot to the team.

"He's a positive influence around the team, he's encouraging the team even now after the boys came in the changing room after this game.

"We're very happy with how he's slotted in with the team.

Gloucester hope to select Cipriani in Thursday's match against Dragons (Getty)

"This week was brilliant because he made his friends now and people know now what expectations and pressure he's under and everyone now is closer to Danny and see him as part of the team."