DANNY CIPRIANI IS to face disciplinary proceedings, the Rugby Football Union said, following his guilty plea to charges of common assault and resisting arrest.
The 30-year-old utility back will appear before a hearing sometime next week, the RFU’s head of discipline David Barnes said in a statement.
Cipriani, whose career has been blighted by off the field misdemeanours, had resurrected his England career and made his first Test start in a decade in the third Test against South Africa in June.
But in court on Thursday he was fined £2,000 for an incident in a nightclub in Jersey where his new Premiership club Gloucester were on a pre-season tour.
The RFU said Cipriani had been charged with “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game”.
“We have high standards that we expect across the game, in line with rugby’s core values, from all those involved within it,” RFU head of discipline David Barnes said.
“I have this afternoon taken the decision to charge Danny Cipriani.”
There are no set punishments for players found guilty of breaching the regulation under which Cipriani has been charged — it is for the panel to decide.
Previous cases rule have led to fines and/or suspensions.
Cipriani admitted his behaviour was unacceptable in an interview published in The Times on Friday.
On Thursday he issued a “heartfelt apology” saying he was “truly sorry… most importantly (to) the police” and was “mortified” by his actions.
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