Danny Cipriani has been handed another blow this week as the Rugby Football Union have publicly charged him with 'Improper Conduct'. In the very early hours of Wednesday this week, Cipriani was involved in a fracas outside a nightclub on the island of Jersey. The brawl culminated in his assault of the nightclub's bouncer and Cipriani resisting arrest when confronted by police officers at the scene. On Thursday morning, Cipriani pleaded guilty to the charges of assault and resting arrest in court and, as punishment, had to pay a £2,000 fine. He also had to pay £250 worth of compensation to a female police officer he injured in the course of resisting his arrest.

The RFU have openly condemned the fly-half

Danny Cipriani is now being forced to feel the wrath of the Rugby Football Union. The governing body of English Rugby has charged Cipriani with Improper Conduct and summoned him for a disciplinary hearing next week at which point he may face further punishment.

Concern has begun to circulate Cipriani's domestic club, Gloucester, that the RFU may hand the star fly-half a ban which will rule him out of the start of the upcoming Gallagher Premiership season.

However, an RFU spokesperson has spoken of the governing body's displeasure at such a high-profile player as Cipriani being caught-up in disrepute, especially after he toured South Africa with the England team earlier this summer.

The RFU has labeled Cipriani's "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game" and added that this latest misdemeanour falls short of the RFU's "high standards" which they expect from all players.

Gloucester have responded to the RFU with anger

The Chief Executive of Gloucester Rugby Club, Stephen Vaughan, has lashed-out the RFU, branding their judgment as being "influenced by the significant media coverage" of the nightclub fracas.

Vaughan has accused the RFU of basing their charge against the fly-half on Cipriani's celebrity status rather than treating them the same as they would any other player.

Stephen Vaughan has also responded with anger at the RFU's decision to publish their disciplinary charge before Gloucester where given time to conduct their own investigation into the event.

Vaughan stated that the club was "surprised and extremely disappointed" that the RFU chose to go on the public record with their verdict because Vaughan claimed that earlier communication between the two parties indicated that Gloucester would be allowed to complete their internal investigatory process before the Union took any action.