Oh Dear Danny

[Digby]

Leonard, Shaw and Sheasby would all give sterling service

[Puja]

A pretty solid apology. Hopefully the end of the matter and not to be repeated - I don't see this putting off Eddie too much.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Yep. Rugby player gets a bit too drunk and pisses off bouncer is hardly a reason for expulsion from the EPS. Glos might feel differently and some jobsworth at the RFU might bang on about the image of the game, whilst shafting the female players and community coaches, but it’s not really England ban worthy.

[Gloskarlos]

More detail here if anyone cares....

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/n ... ys-1904327

Some sympathy for him, he does need to realise he’s not a drinker.

[twitchy]

The most exciting thing to happen in rugby for a couple of months.

[Mellsblue]

According to the the times, it was all pretty much something of nothing:
- the defence wanted CCTV to be shown as they thought it would exonerate Cipriani
- only pleaded guilty to the two charges when it became clear the CCTV was not being admitted, so as to bring things to a swift conclusion
- Willi Heinz said the arresting officer was overly aggressive with handcuffs (pretty acceptable when you’re a woman, who has had to call back up and are dealing with a pro-rugby player) and Cips’s objection to that made the scuffle seem worse
- a number of Jersey Reds players contacted Glos to say they had friends happy to testify in Cips favour

[Gloskarlos]

Aye, a big deal made of not a lot. No long term harm done. Worst part of it all is that it looks like Heinz is club captain this season..... not sure that had been confirmed yet!

[Shiny]

Breaking news on Twitter, The RFU Head of Discipline David Barnes is to raise an RFU charge and disciplinary panel next week for Cippers. Luck just follows the lad around.

[Digby]

Breaking news on Twitter, The RFU Head of Discipline David Barnes is to raise an RFU charge and disciplinary panel next week for Cippers. Luck just follows the lad around.

Is that former prop David Barnes?

[Digby]

English rugby would be in a better place if there'd been disciplinaries held over the years for some passing from the likes of Hartley, Coles, Croft, Haskell, Robshaw, Care, Youngs, Manu, Farrell and Brown than a minor incident on a Glaws pre season tour of Jersey

[Shiny]

Breaking news on Twitter, The RFU Head of Discipline David Barnes is to raise an RFU charge and disciplinary panel next week for Cippers. Luck just follows the lad around.

Is that former prop David Barnes?

I'm not sure to be honest.

[Digby]

Breaking news on Twitter, The RFU Head of Discipline David Barnes is to raise an RFU charge and disciplinary panel next week for Cippers. Luck just follows the lad around.

Is that former prop David Barnes?

I'm not sure to be honest.

Looks like it is, luckily for him there are literally no stories about him on tour which might if one were uncharitable say make him look a raging hypocrite

[fivepointer]

Is this usual RFU practice?
Cips was on club duty, has admitted the offence, been fined and as far as i'm aware is not going to be subject to any disciplinary action from Glos.
Is there any real need to take this issue further?

[francoisfou]

I sincerely hope that he's not banned from playing and just gets his wrist slapped and told to go back to Glaws and play as well as we know he can and be selected for the AIs.

[Gloskarlos]

Gloucester Rugby CEO Stephen Vaughan said today:

“We are surprised and extremely disappointed to have recently received notification of disciplinary action against Danny Cipriani by the RFU.

“Yesterday afternoon I received a personal assurance from the RFU that no disciplinary discussions would take place until we had completed our own conversations as stated in our club release.

“With the team in Belfast for tomorrow’s preseason friendly against Ulster, we had indicated that this would be carried out early next week following the team’s return.

“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.

“In summary, we do not agree with the RFU’s decision to embark upon a disciplinary process before we have concluded our own internal discussions and fail to understand the reasons for this approach.

“We do not believe that this decision and the subsequent unnecessary public attention that will now follow it is in the best interests of either the RFU, the club, the player nor the game in general.”

[francoisfou]

Gloucester Rugby CEO Stephen Vaughan said today:

“We are surprised and extremely disappointed to have recently received notification of disciplinary action against Danny Cipriani by the RFU.

“Yesterday afternoon I received a personal assurance from the RFU that no disciplinary discussions would take place until we had completed our own conversations as stated in our club release.

“With the team in Belfast for tomorrow’s preseason friendly against Ulster, we had indicated that this would be carried out early next week following the team’s return.

“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.

“In summary, we do not agree with the RFU’s decision to embark upon a disciplinary process before we have concluded our own internal discussions and fail to understand the reasons for this approach.

“We do not believe that this decision and the subsequent unnecessary public attention that will now follow it is in the best interests of either the RFU, the club, the player nor the game in general.”

And so say all of us!

[Oakboy]

Weird. Why would David Barnes create this precedent?

[Raggs]

Cips made national news, TV and papers etc, I guess the RFU feel they have to be seen to be doing something.

[Digby]

Cips made national news, TV and papers etc, I guess the RFU feel they have to be seen to be doing something.

They could always spend the money on community coaching and simply say it's a Gloucester matter leaving Eddie free to act as he will

Sadly as noted they again want to be seen as doing something which rather feels like the worst of a look at me referee such as Steve Walsh back on one of his bad days

[fivepointer]

Statement from Glos -

GLOUCESTER RUGBY TODAY (MONDAY) HELD A DISCIPLINARY HEARING WITH DANNY CIPRIANI TO REVIEW THE EVENTS OF LAST WEEK ON THE CLUB’S PRESEASON TOUR IN JERSEY. AS A RESULT, GLOUCESTER HAVE FINED CIPRIANI £2,000.

50% of the fine will be paid to the club’s chosen charity, Pied Piper, a local charity raising money and awareness for sick and disabled children in Gloucestershire and 50% will be paid to Restart Rugby, the official charity of the Rugby Players’ Association.

In addition, Danny will be required to undertake an additional 10 hours of community service and he will work with Gloucester Rugby’s community staff coaching local children, and will be contributing to the fantastic voluntary work that the Gloucester Academy staff and players do with the homeless in the City.

A Gloucester Rugby spokesperson commented:

“Having reviewed all the facts and spoken to both Danny and Willi Heinz, who witnessed the events first hand, we are in agreement with the Magistrate in Jersey that this was a minor incident. While Danny is very apologetic for his actions, we do not believe he is guilty of bringing the game into disrepute and he will continue to get our full support.

“Danny has now faced disciplinary action from both the Courts and his Club and, with the new season about to kick off, our focus is very much on preparing for Northampton on the 1st September, so we will not be making any further comments on this matter.”

[francoisfou]

Statement from Glos -

GLOUCESTER RUGBY TODAY (MONDAY) HELD A DISCIPLINARY HEARING WITH DANNY CIPRIANI TO REVIEW THE EVENTS OF LAST WEEK ON THE CLUB’S PRESEASON TOUR IN JERSEY. AS A RESULT, GLOUCESTER HAVE FINED CIPRIANI £2,000.

50% of the fine will be paid to the club’s chosen charity, Pied Piper, a local charity raising money and awareness for sick and disabled children in Gloucestershire and 50% will be paid to Restart Rugby, the official charity of the Rugby Players’ Association.

In addition, Danny will be required to undertake an additional 10 hours of community service and he will work with Gloucester Rugby’s community staff coaching local children, and will be contributing to the fantastic voluntary work that the Gloucester Academy staff and players do with the homeless in the City.

A Gloucester Rugby spokesperson commented:

“Having reviewed all the facts and spoken to both Danny and Willi Heinz, who witnessed the events first hand, we are in agreement with the Magistrate in Jersey that this was a minor incident. While Danny is very apologetic for his actions, we do not believe he is guilty of bringing the game into disrepute and he will continue to get our full support.

“Danny has now faced disciplinary action from both the Courts and his Club and, with the new season about to kick off, our focus is very much on preparing for Northampton on the 1st September, so we will not be making any further comments on this matter.”

So for the moment, common sense prevails, until the RFU Blazers stick their oar in.

[fivepointer]

That should have been the end of it but there is disciplinary hearing tomorrow.

[Digby]

The RPA sound rather vexed with the RFU in addition to Glaws

[Beasties]

No further punishment. So wtf was that all about then?

[fivepointer]

A ridiculous and completely unnecessary waste of everyone's time. The RFU should have bowed out once Glos had dealt with the matter.