Cipriani avoids ban as RFU decides against further action

The RFU had charged Cipriani with "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game" following his conviction for common assault and resisting arrest.

Cipriani was fined £2,000 pounds and ordered to pay £250 pounds to the officer after pleading guilty to common assault at Jersey Magistrates' Court.

He was also fined £2,000 and told to undertake 10 hours of community service by his club Gloucester Rugby on Monday after an internal investigation into the incident.

In a five-hour meeting on Wednesday, a disciplinary panel upheld the RFU charges but decided the punishment handed out to him by Jersey magistrates and his club was sufficient.

"The panel took into account the sanction imposed upon Mr Cipriani by the court and the sanction imposed by Gloucester Rugby and when considering the totality of both, do not impose any further sanction," said panel chairman Gareth Graham.

Cipriani is now free to play his first match for Gloucester in a pre-season match against Dragons later on Thursday.

Gloucester CEO Stephen Vaughan was "disappointed at the verdict" but said they "accept the decision of the panel, particularly concerning the way Gloucester Rugby have handled the matter.

"We believe that the panel's decision not to impose any additional penalty endorses our approach."