Cipriani to meet bosses over assault

DANNY CIPRIANI is set for one of the biggest weeks of his career as he returns to England under another disciplinary cloud.

The 30-year-old fly-half flew back with the rest of his new Gloucester team-mates today and the Mail on Sunday can reveal he is set for crunch talks tomorrow.

Cipriani (right) pleaded guilty to common assault of a bouncer and resisting arrest on a night out during a preseason trip to Jersey this week, was fined £2,000 and paid £250 in compensation to a female police officer who was left bruised.

He will sit down with Gloucester chief executive Stephen Vaughan, who has publicly backed his man, and coaches David Humphreys and Johan Ackermann.

Gloucester are unlikely to ban him, but may fine him or take the view that his criminal conviction is punishment enough. Then the RFU will drag him in front another disciplinary panel.

David Barnes, the RFU’s head of discipline, waded into the matter on Friday by charging the playmaker with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game.