Rugby | England flyhalf Cipriani arrested for alleged drink-driving

Danny Cipriani was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving in the latest off-field controversy involving the flyhalf, putting his hopes of making England’s squad for the Rugby World Cup in jeopardy.
Cipriani, one of English rugby’s most high-profile and talented players, was the driver of a car involved in a collision with another car in London early Monday, police said.
When asked about reports of an incident regarding Cipriani, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement yesterday that a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, and was taken to a police station before being released on bail until early August.
There were no reports of any injuries.
Cipriani plays for Manchester-based club Sale but was in London on international duty with England on Sunday. He starred in a 73-12 victory against the Barbarians at Twickenham, crossing for two tries and scoring 33 points in total.
The flyhalf was selected in England’s 50-man training squad for the World Cup, but was facing a fight to be included in the final 31-man group that has to be named by Aug. 31.
Cipriani appeared to have turned his career around over the past two years, a different man to the perceived wild child who was caught up in off-field issues amid concerns about his dedication to the sport.
Rarely out of the headlines after bursting onto the international scene in 2008, he was reprimanded for off-field incidents in his 18 months with the Melbourne Rebels in 2011-12. In 2013, he was hospitalized after being hit by a double-decker bus while on a night out with teammates at Sale.
He has shown more maturity, on and off the field, over the past two seasons at Sale and has caught the attention of Lancaster — a disciplinarian who places high demands on players in terms of their off-field behaviour.
Lancaster dropped scrumhalf Danny Care from the squad for the Six Nations in 2012 after he was charged with drink-driving. Two other leading players, center Manu Tuilagi and hooker Dylan Hartley, have already been dropped from the World Cup squad for disciplinary reasons.
Tuilagi was convicted of assaulting a taxi driver and two female police officers on a night out. Hartley was banned for four weeks for headbutting an opponent during an English Premiership match, a suspension which ruled him out of contention for England’s warm-up matches and opening pool game against Fiji.
England has yet to comment on the latest Cipriani incident, which came a week after he described his inclusion in the World Cup training squad as a “dream,” and outlined the desire to become a coach, saying “I want to be a role model.”
The Rugby World Cup starts on Sept. 18. Steve Douglas, Sports Writer, AP