Scotland v England

[Mark-JB]

The Sun are saying that Cipriani's been dropped for breaking curfew last night.

Not made it onto any other sites as far as I can see at the moment.

 

[Bullitt]

The Sun also said he f***ed a ladyboy...

Make you will of what the Sun says.

 

[An Tarbh]

Story seems to have only broken in the last hour, he was photoed leaving a club at 12:15, hardly qualifies as the early hours of the morning that a couple of articles have claimed it to be. He missed his curfew by only 15 minutes, daft in my mind.

 

[Prestwick]

Nothing on the BBC.

The Sun has a total hard on for Cipriani which is a good sign that they blatantly don't like him. Typical inner city middle class, hate someone who represent the sports which Cool Britannia find unfashionable when they're doing crap and milk it for all its worth through gritted teeth when they win the World Cup...

...I call this the "Blair/Mbeki sport spin doctrine."

EDIT:Oh ****

 

[An Tarbh]

It's on the Beeb now

and here's a statement from the RFU

Originally posted by RFU
England statement on Danny Cipriani

March 6, 2008

6 March 2008
Further to inappropriate behaviour last night by England and London Wasps back Danny Cipriani, England Head Coach Brian Ashton has decided to replace him in the starting XV for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations fixture against Scotland with Gloucester Rugby's Iain Balshaw. Charlie Hodgson of Sale Sharks has been added to the bench.

Danny Cipriani will not travel with England to Scotland. No further disciplinary action will be taken against Danny but he has been warned and advised about his future conduct.

England Head Coach Brian Ashton said: “I’ve taken the decision regarding Danny and the matter is now closed. I will keep an open mind on selecting him for future games.â€

 

[Bullitt]

Oh, right, so that's not scraping the barrel, making any excuse to play <strike>Brians' Son</strike> Balshaw.

 

[danny]

He needs a bollocking for missing a curfew but to drop him from the squad is very harsh. Perhaps Ashton had an excuse to bring back Balshaw and took advantage.

 

[Prestwick]

That....I'm just lost for words.

And I was about to post a revamp of the Muslims protesting with placards saying "ASHTON ALL IS FORGIVEN" and "DEATH TO SCOTLAND" too

EDIT: Well, that'll see Blair and Parks batter Balshaw with plenty of bombs then...

 

[lineens weegie army]

That....I'm just lost for words.

And I was about to post a revamp of the Muslims protesting with placards saying "ASHTON ALL IS FORGIVEN" and "DEATH TO SCOTLAND" too

EDIT: Well, that'll see Blair and Parks batter Balshaw with plenty of bombs then... [/b]

Well still get hammered, but at least we may get a few points!

 

[shazbooger]

Looking on the brigh side, you've got to assume he'll learn from this and it wont be happening again. With that in mind, the upcoming game against the Scots is probably the best time for it to happen (if it was going to happen again).

 

[Incredible Schalk]

hahahahahahahaha, Balshaw is back for the 4th straight game,incredible he's such a loser. Cipriani's punishment is dam harsh, to leave a night club that early i would say is impressive..

 

[iank36]

I'm much more concerned about the peppering of high balls that Scotland were proposing now that Balshaw is back at FB.

Though it is hard to read too much into the reinstatement for Balshaw. With Cipriani out the 22, Ashton was going to have to call up FH cover so was somewhat limited - there's no way he'd call up someone inexperienced at either as late as the Thursday to play one and provide cover for the other...and in a straight choice between Balshaw and Tait, it's obvious which way the decision would go...

 

[Prestwick]

Cipriani's side courtesy of the Daily Mail:

In his defence, the rising star has said he only popped into the club to deliver some tickets for the Murrayfield game to friends.

He stayed at the club for only 10 minutes and did not seem to have been drinking. [/b]

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Cipriani's side courtesy of the Daily Mail:

In his defence, the rising star has said he only popped into the club to deliver some tickets for the Murrayfield game to friends.

He stayed at the club for only 10 minutes and did not seem to have been drinking. [/b]

[/b]

If that's true then Ashton is even more of a pillock than some of his team selections would suggest. Yes, the lad shouldn't have missed the curfew (even if it was only by 15 minutes). However, it doesn't seem as though he was involved in any sort of boozy antics or scandal.

A slap on the wrist would have been more than enough - there's discipline and then there's overkill.

 

[Camberabero]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7281303.stm

Was that true ???

 

[An Tarbh]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7281303.stm

Was that true ???
[/b]

No it's all part of an elaborate hoax on the part of Ashton to lull the Scots into a false sense of security about having to only face Balshaw only for Cipriani to emerge and wreak havoc at Murrayfield!

 

[Dozzy_X]

i dont know who i hate more Ashton or Balshaw. y can't any1 in the RFU realise the problems Ashton is causing? 12.15 and axed completely, granted rules are rules, but i thought Ashton wanted people to see the younger guys as adults, this guy is 20 and is being treated like a child. im angered once again by englands hierarchy.

 

[nick_w]

Ridiculous decision. Utterly ridiculous. Of course, sticking to the curfew is important, but does the crime fit the punishment? Hardly.

On the other side of the coin, if Wayne Rooney would have done this two days before an England match would this have happened? Take the Flintoff pedalo incident as well.

Either something else has happened behind the scenes that the public aren't being told about, or Ashton was looking for any excuse to bring in Balshaw again. Really quite miffed about it all none the less.

 

[Macsen]

Sounds like a clever ruse to get Balshaw back on the pitch.

Quick someone lure the rest of the England team into a nightclub! Just tell them they're picking up another Team of the Year award.

 

[Prestwick]

Maybe we should have invited Iain Balshaw out for drinks last night...

EDIT: The Telegraph's Brendan Gallagher puts it perfectly and the sarcasm reading is off the scale!

Rugby player snapped sober and on his own outside nightclub on day off! Shock!

What's going on? These places stay open to the early hours, why were you leaving so early after dropping off tickets to a friend, Danny? You are a disgrace to this wonderful game of ours.[/b]