Cipriani Nightclub Investigation

[DPK]

Cipriani faces Rebels probe over bar incident
ESPNscrum Staff
February 24, 2011

Melbourne Rebels' high profile English recruit Danny Cipriani is under investigation for an incident in a nightclub following his side's Super Rugby debut on Friday.

The Rebels lost 43-0 to the Waratahs in their first competitive match but the result could be the least of their worries if the franchise's image takes an early hit due to Cipriani's off-field behaviour.

The 23-year-old fly-half allegedly stole a bottle of alcohol from behind the bar while at the 161 nightclub at around 4am on Saturday morning. Bar staff caught Cipriani in the act, retrieved the bottle and then asked him to leave, according to local reports. Police were not called.

"I have only just been made aware of the claims, but I will investigate these allegations thoroughly and make further comment once all the facts have been established," CEO Ross Oakley told the Herald Sun.

Cipriani cited his desire to make a fresh start away from the burning spotlight of the English media as one of the reasons he moved to the Rebels, but he has already drawn attention in Melbourne and has been linked to a number of female Australian celebrities in the gossip pages.

He started Friday's match on the bench but an injury to starting No.10 James Hilgendorf saw Cipriani injected into the match earlier than expected. The Rebels next meet the Brumbies on Friday night.

 

[Newb]

that didn't take long

 

[Ruggo]

If the police were not called, it is a non event and a heap of hear say.

 

[Reddy!]

Why are these professional sports stars out drinking to 4am and trying to get loaded on booze anyway? They'll never achieve greatness.

 

[Slim 293]

I guess he was feeling depressed as he knows that despite his large profile and minor celebrity status he's going to get shown up this weekend by a 20 year old 'nobody' in only their second game of provincial rugby...

 

[daz]

If the police were not called, it is a non event and a heap of hear say.

Sorry lads, but I'm not sure that is the point. For someone to be going hard to impress a new club and supporters, plus re-inventing himself and looking to catch the eye of England management staff in a World Cup year, what the hell is he thinking?

He would have caught MJ's eye all right, but not in a good way. Perception is reality. Want to bet the first thing MJ would think when reading the papers is "Typical Cipriani. No surprises there. Thank God he is no longer my problem."

Even if all I wrote above is beside the point, how does a professional foootballer think a 4am ejection from a night club after a huge opening loss is acceptable?

You wonder why the AFL is making huge inroads, particularly with families? By clamping down fucking hard on 4am night club antics by highly paid staff who are part of the over-all branding of the game. I don't think anyone expects these guys to be Tibetan Monks, but you avoid bad press by not putting yourself in bad situations. Rightly or wrongly, and like it or not, that is simply the sacrifice needed to be world class.

I don't know Cips, and could care less what he does as he doesn't play for my team or my country, but my message would be simple 'Pull your fucking head in, stay out of the gossip columns and show us what you have got on the field."


EDIT: End of Holier than thou soap-box rant

 

[RugbyFuture]

You wonder why the AFL is making huge inroads, particularly with families? By clamping down fucking hard on 4am night club antics by highly paid staff who are part of the over-all branding of the game. I don't think anyone expects these guys to be Tibetan Monks, but you avoid bad press by not putting yourself in bad situations. Rightly or wrongly, and like it or not, that is simply the sacrifice needed to be world class.

ahhhhhhhhhhhh......? Seen the news lately....?

 

[Dumbledore]

daz, the AFL players are absolutely shocking for the most part. Just because it's not being reported, doesn't mean it's not happening. Completely agree with the rest of your post though.

 

[cyclopath]

daz, the AFL players are absolutely shocking for the most part. Just because it's not being reported, doesn't mean it's not happening. Completely agree with the rest of your post though.

Spot on. When I lived in Melbourne, a mate who was an insider at one club said exactly that - a LOT of stuff happens that the media don't report out of self-preservation, that is, preservation of their access to teams.
AFL can spin it how they like, but they are no angels.
Cipriani, however, is still a numpty. Grabbing stuff from over the bar, even in jest, is a short cut to a big fall.

 

[Scotty]

Yeah, the AFL players are saints.

Unless you consider doing drugs in hotel rooms with near under age girls a problem? And this isn't just isolated to the younger guys!

They are now competing with league for worst behaved.

 

[Dumbledore]

Exactly, it's not even particularly well covered up, real hidden in plain sight sort of stuff. Makes you question some of the trade decisions (Lovett to St. Kilda, Fevola to Brisbane etc.) with some of the stories you hear. Anyway, don't think there's much to this story, Cipriani is just a bit of a clown. Apparently the reason he was on the bench for the trial against the Crusaders was he'd been going a bit hard in the build up, then one of my mates saw him out the night after that game as well. Just sounds like he isn't taking things seriously, which is a massive shame.

 

[vidiot]

I just don't see how this cuts the mustard. Surely making the barkeeps life easier through self-serve is virtually unreportable compared to doing blow with a 17 yr old character assassin or throwing your wang out as a tasty treat and photographing it.

Just when you think rugby can compete with other codes it falls down in the most important area - tabloid sensationalism.

Even our worst bad-boy of recent times just got shit faced - on alcohol and ARU prescribed sleepers - and walked out with a - no, not a car or a brace of schoolgirls or a penis enlarger - he walks out with a FUCKING LAPTOP!

Can someone please help these wannabes get colourful!?!

 

[dougdew99]

Would there be anything in his contract about stuff like this?

It is hard to not to think that the best thing would be to put him on the next plane to Heathrow. He has let down his club, his team mates and made a laughing stock of himself. Why would any more energy be wasted on him?

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Would there be anything in his contract about stuff like this?

It is hard to not to think that the best thing would be to put him on the next plane to Heathrow. He has let down his club, his team mates and made a laughing stock of himself. Why would any more energy be wasted on him?

I love how Cipriani grabs a bottle from a bar and people start calling for his contract to be cancelled and sent back home. A few weeks ago Cameron Shepard takes it one step further and doesn't just grab a bottle, but polishes it off and proceeds to drive home, gets done DUI, and instead of people calling for the same for him, he just gets a "well i hope he's sober in time for round 1"

 

[dougdew99]

Yes, Brumbies Guy, but this was Melbourne... we pride ourselves on a very much higher level of decorum...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Guys that stuff with Ricky Nixon in Melbourne is all just hearsay. Nothing proven yet, especially the track record of the young lady involved.

 

[cyclopath]

I love how Cipriani grabs a bottle from a bar and people start calling for his contract to be cancelled and sent back home. A few weeks ago Cameron Shepard takes it one step further and doesn't just grab a bottle, but polishes it off and proceeds to drive home, gets done DUI, and instead of people calling for the same for him, he just gets a "well i hope he's sober in time for round 1"

Who called for his contract to be cancelled?
Maybe send him home for being and over-hyped under-achiever, but not for being a numpty. I mean it's not like we can't find our own number 10s who stand deep in the pocket and hamstring their back line...I'm sure there are plenty around.

 

[DPK]

our own number 10s who stand deep in the pocket and hamstring their back line...I'm sure there are plenty around.

Until recently that position was known as "The Incumbent Wallaby #10".

 

[vidiot]

Guys that stuff with Ricky Nixon in Melbourne is all just hearsay. Nothing proven yet, especially the track record of the young lady involved.

Ricky who? I'm not sure there's even anyone of that name in this country. Any more. I wasn't referring to any specific examples......

 

[Dumbledore]

Man it's really not a big deal as far as I'm concerned, I know I'm not doing my best thinking at 4 in the morning. And yes, he shouldn't have put himself in that sort of situation to begin with, but he's what, 23? Definitely not worth packing him off for, it's only worrying as an indicator of other attitude problems.