Cipriani

[Rebel rouser]

I can't make sense of people saying 'he's one of our best players, so let this slide'. One set of rules for everyone, whether you're a 50 test veteran or a bench subbie. Once you set a precedent by letting people off lightly, then it can and will be repeated. This sort of stuff has been going unpunished in NRL for years which is why their problems are so systemic. Rod Macqueen has got it right. I like Danny, he's an exciting player to watch, I sympathise with his desire to party it up, but it's simple: buckle up or gtfo.

 

[Bowside]

I think a 1 week ban is fair enough but 3 is excessive. How come kingi is touring but cipriani isn't?

 

[Slim 293]

I think a 1 week ban is fair enough but 3 is excessive. How come kingi is touring but cipriani isn't?

Repeated infringements?

 

[Bruce Ross]

Let me see if I'm reading this right so far. The Rebels bought a playboy notorious for spending the witching hours tom-catting on the tiles with glamorous goers.

Now they have discovered that he is a playboy who spends the witching hours tom-catting on the tiles with glamorous goers.

And the issue is?

Everyone's got to have a hobby.

 

[Baldric]

Everyone's got to have a hobby

Agree Bruce, but if I was to spend my working day organising my stamp collection I reckon my employer is going to get a bit miffed.
He needs to grow up and take some responsibility for himself.

 

[Bruce Ross]

It's getting a bit beyond me now, Baldric, but faced with a choice between the Cipster's hobby and your stamp collection, I'd be off to the Ivy.

 

[RedsHappy]

It's getting a bit beyond me now, Baldric, but faced with a choice between the Cipster's hobby and your stamp collection, I'd be off to the Ivy.

Gem.

 

[cyclopath]

It's getting a bit beyond me now, Baldric, but faced with a choice between the Cipster's hobby and your stamp collection, I'd be off to the Ivy.

You'd have the wrong shoes, Bruce, they'd never let you in.

 

[Rebel rouser]

It's getting a bit beyond me now, Baldric, but faced with a choice between the Cipster's hobby and your stamp collection, I'd be off to the Ivy.

I still think everyone is missing the point. This is a paid job for these guys and they must abide by their own organisation's set of rules. I work in an industry where a 60 hour working week is the norm. If you show up drunk, even once, you will get the ass. It's that simple, but that's spelt out when you walk in the door and everyone knows what they are signing up for. I haven't seen anyone violate that rule yet.

A rugby player, compared to your average office worker, has about 20-25 hours of 'work time' a week. The super rugby season (if you don't get into the finals) is 16 weeks A YEAR. If you can't hold yourself together for that amount of time, then you have a serious problem.

So once again, I say buckle up or gtfo. It's not that it's illegal to drink, it's not that I don't appreciate his need to enjoy himself, but he knew the rules when he signed up. If you can't do those things in your own time, then he can do so while he's lining up to get his dole check.

 

[Bruce Ross]

The cognoscente have probably detected I am not taking this entirely seriously, Rr, but if your employer knowingly hired a full blown alcoholic, should they be surprised at the outcome?

 

[Rebel rouser]

Fair point Bruce. But then again, I am assuming Cipriani didn't show to his interview and say 'just so you know, I'm a piss-head and will spend every spare hour on the booze'. I imagine it was more along the lines of 'I'm reformed now, I'm trying hard to stay squeaky clean. Honest!'

 

[Baldric]

I seem to recall that Cipriani asked to come to the Rebels. His initial request was turned down as he was deemed not to be a suitable candidate and the Rebels were not looking for high flyers, more for people who were prepared to do some hard graft. He also was prepared to take a pay cut to join the Rebels. I think he knew the score before he joined. He was hardly forced to join.
And stamp collecting is great fun.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Fair point Bruce. But then again, I am assuming Cipriani didn't show to his interview and say 'just so you know, I'm a piss-head and will spend every spare hour on the booze'. I imagine it was more along the lines of 'I'm reformed now, I'm trying hard to stay squeaky clean. Honest!'

True enough, Rr. That scenario fits well with my mail that on more than one occasion at around 4 am when he has brushed up against a young lady while reaching over the bar to grab a stray bottle of Chivas he has introduced himself: "My name's Danny and I'm looking for a committed relationship."

 

[Jets]

It seems to me that the Rebels just signed him for publicity and had no intentions on using him for anything else.

I think the no drinking rule is crazy myself. If I was told by my work I couldn't go and have a drink in my own time I wouldn't be very happy about it. I understand the need to recover from any injuries but it's not like the reports of him out on the town were about him being drunk. He went out to have some fun and had a couple of drinks while doing so. He was letting his hair down a bit

He has a risk taking personality, that is why he is great to watch. I don't understand teams that want players to live like monks but play like rockstars.

 

[Jets]

True enough, Rr. That scenario fits well with my mail that on more than one occasion at around 4 am when he has brushed up against a young lady while reaching over the bar to grab a stray bottle of Chivas he has introduced himself: "My name's Danny and I'm looking for a committed relationship."

Bruce you are on fire today.

 

[Torn Hammy]

Rugby is steeped in a drinking culture. 90% survive but 10% don't. The only time we care about that 10% is when they publically embarrass us, or in modern terms, embarrass our 'brand'.

 

[Gagger]

From Rebels facebook page:

Hi everyone, the following was released by our CEO, Ross Oakley, this evening in relation to Danny Cipriani's exclusion from the squad:



“The playing group and management have lost confidence in Danny after the latest in a series of off field breaches of the teams behavioural standards. To put the decision in context, Danny also chose to stay out late again the night after the incident in Sydney, and did not attend training the following day. Management is addressing these issues with Danny and we support the decision to not allow him to join the tour to South Africa.”

Bullet

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That settles it as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Maroon Army]

No doubting Cips talent, but he's proving to be a massive waste of time and money.


Martin Johnson obviously knows beest.

 

[Bruce Ross]

"Danny also chose to stay out late again the night after the incident in Sydney, and did not attend training the following day."

That's where Danny breached the code. Legendary Australian root rats, like the late and great Keith Miller, would have fronted even if he was still in his dinner suit with his fly buttons undone. Not that cricketers actually had training in those days but you get my drift. Keith would have got to the Test ground just in time to roll the arm over or to take strike.

In those days cricket was quite correctly described as "organised loafing".