In what ought to have been a comparatively quiet interval for England rugby on the again of the Six Nations, but it surely was maybe unexpectedly and positively unwillingly thrown into the highlight on Monday morning.
Billy Vunipola, who has 75 caps for his nation, was arrested after an incident at a pub in Majorca, with the 31-year-old having to be tasered twice after police rushed to a bar known as Epic within the island capital Palma at 4.30am on Sunday morning following calls from safety workers.
Native experiences mentioned the sportsman, who was born in Australia to Tongan mother and father and moved to the UK along with his household as a younger little one, had taken off his shirt and was threatening prospects and workers with bottles and chairs, although he has since denied there was any violence or threatening concerned.
The 6ft 2in tall powerhouse, who weighs almost 20 stone and performs for Saracens within the Premiership, reportedly challenged the officers and flexed his muscle tissue and has been bailed although has now claimed the investigation is over after paying a advantageous of 240 euros.
With the No 8 now chargeable for bolting England rugby right into a pit of undesirable consideration, Mail Sport has checked out a number of the instances when England stars enjoying the game, constructed on a basis of respect and good conduct, made headlines for the flawed causes.
England rugby star Billy Vuniploa was tasered twice and arrested within the early hours of Sunday morning
Billy Vunipola laughed after police tried to taser him inside a late-night bar in Majorca
He has now been bailed with an investigation ongoing following claims he threatened prospects at a bar in Palma
Manu Tuilagi is detained for leaping off a ferry
Maybe probably the most high-profile England rugby scandal of latest instances passed off in 2011, a matter of hours after Martin Johnson’s facet had been dumped out of the World Cup.
In a bid to distract themselves from the disasters of the event, members of the crew took to the seas on a ship journey to see the sights of Auckland, New Zealand, together with the vacationer hotspot of Waiheke Island.
Simply earlier than 7pm native time, the boat returned to Auckland and Tuilagi, reportedly egged on by team-mates, jumped off the boat, swam to a close-by pier and climbed onto the terminal earlier than the ferry docked.
Simply days after England stars had been caught up in a ‘dwarf-tossing’ scandal, Tuilagi was detained by police, taken to Auckland Central police station and held for round an hour earlier than being launched to England administration.
He obtained a £3,000 advantageous from the RFU and apologised publicly, saying: ‘It was a foolish factor to do and I apologise to everyone for any inconvenience triggered.’
That was simply the beginning of his controversy, nevertheless…
In 2011, Manu Tuilagi was detained by police after leaping off a ferry following England’s World Cup exit
Tuilagi publicly apologised for the incident and obtained a £3,000 advantageous from the RFU
Tuilagi assaults two cops
Having gone onto rebuild his England profession and make a reputation for himself with Leicester Tigers, Tuilagi was arrested once more in 2013 after assaulting two feminine cops.
The then-23-year-old pleaded responsible to a few counts of assault and certainly one of felony injury at a courtroom listening to and was ordered to pay £6,205 in fines, compensation, costs and prices, following an incident reportedly involving the officers and a taxi driver within the early hours of April 26.
It’s understood Tuilagi grabbed the motive force by the throat and kicked his automotive’s wing mirror.
Two feminine cops then arrived and he pushed each within the chest as they tried to handcuff him at 3am.
He was finally charged with assault by beating, felony injury and two counts of assaulting a police officer, and value himself his 2015 World Cup place on the again of the incident.
Then-England head coach Stuart Lancaster mentioned: ‘As function fashions and ambassadors for the sport, the best requirements of behaviour are anticipated from each England participant each on and off the sector.
‘Having spoken to Manu, he understands and accepts each the seriousness of the offences to which he has pleaded responsible and the implications of his behaviour to his membership, nation and the sport as a complete. England will proceed to liaise with Leicester Tigers and have each confidence that the membership will proceed to help Manu in the precise method.’
Tuilagi was, just a few years later, assaulting two feminine cops following a conflict with a taxi driver
Danny Cipriani’s intercourse obsession and assault
Former England star Danny Cipriani, maybe sadly for him, appeared to make his title off the rugby area quite than on it.
In his 2023 autobiography ‘Who Am I?’, the 36-year-old opened up on his need for intercourse earlier than it turned ‘a type of self hurt’, explaining how he would interact in common threesomes and sleep with as much as three ladies a day.
Having shot to fame throughout his relationship with Cheeky Lady star Monica Irimia in 2007, the 2 cut up after it was alleged Cipriani cheated with glamour mannequin Larissa Summers. He has since mentioned to have dated the likes of Kelly Brook, Lindsay Lohan and Katie Value.
In 2015, Cipriani, who’s now courting actress Annalynne McCord, was convicted of drunk driving following a crash with a taxi and was ordered to pay £7,620 in fines and prices and banned from driving for 18 months.
In 2018, in the meantime, he was arrested and charged with widespread assault on a doorman, larceny, assault on a police lady, resisting arrest and being disorderly on licensed premises. Fairly the journey.
Former England star Danny Cipriani revealed her would use intercourse as ‘a type of self hurt’ as a mainstream movie star
Cipriani, now courting actress Annalynne McCord (left), was convicted of drunk driving in 2015 and assault in 2018
Marland Yarde disappears
Eyebrows had been raised when Marland Yarde, who has 13 England caps to his title, disappeared from rugby after leaving Sale Sharks on the again of an arrest in January 2022.
He revealed on social media later that yr that he was arrested for a ‘very critical offence’ however that he was by no means charged.
‘In January, as I feel is understood by a number of the rugby group, I used to be arrested on suspicion of getting dedicated a really critical offence,’ he wrote. ‘A essentially prolonged police investigation adopted however I can now affirm that no additional motion is to be taken towards me. I’ve not been charged with any offence.
‘While I by no means doubted my innocence, I perceive that the investigation needed to be dealt with with care and sensitivity for the safety of all concerned.
‘Though harmless of the crime alleged towards me, I take full accountability for having put myself in a state of affairs the place an allegation could possibly be made towards me. I’m working exhausting to enhance myself as an individual utilizing what the incident has taught and proven me.
‘I wish to apologise to all my household and buddies for the damage and misery I’ve triggered them. Their love and help gave me the power to see a constructive future and I look ahead to resuming my profession doing what I really like, which is enjoying rugby.’
Since, he has been enjoying for Prime 14 facet Bayonne in France, along with his England profession over.
Marland Yarde revealed final yr that he was arrested ‘on suspicion of getting dedicated a really critical offence’
Although his England profession is over, he has been enjoying for Prime 14 facet Bayonne in France
Lawrence Dallaglio’s drug accusations
Branded ‘the very best captain that I’ve ever been concerned with’ by Wales head coach Warren Gatland, Lawrence Dallaglio resigned from his function as England skipper in 1999 following allegations he had used and been a supplier of exhausting medication.
Dallaglio denied the accusations, claiming he had been sufferer of ‘an elaborate set-up’ by the Information of the World newspaper, and then-England head coach Sir Clive Woodward mentioned he was assured Dallaglio can be proved harmless.
The RFU held its personal investigation, with Woodward concerned, and he was finally cleared, although fined £15,000 plus prices by the governing physique.
In 2020, a courtroom heard the now-51-year-old spent £10,000 in a brothel providing cocaine and intercourse employees, whereas he was given time to clear a tax debt of £700,000.
Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio was accused of taking and dealing exhausting medication
Mike Brown (pictured) was certainly one of 4 England gamers accused of sexual assault in 2008
Mike Brown and Topsy Ojo are accused of sexual assault
Full-back Mike Brown and winger Topsy Ojo had been discovered responsible of misconduct by the RFU in 2008 after they had been accused of each sleeping with the identical lady after a bar crawl in New Zealand.
It was mentioned that each males had intercourse with the 18-year-old waitress after England had misplaced to the All Blacks in June that yr, and an RFU report learn that their behaviour was ‘inconsistent with the lifetime of an elite skilled rugby participant within the trendy period’. They had been additionally fined £500 and £1,000 respectively.
The lady concerned, an 18-year-old waitress, made claims that she was sexually assaulted by each males, in addition to Danny Care and one different unnamed participant, with all 4 gamers denying the claims.
The report said that the 4 gamers had been accused of ‘sexually violating’ the lady, however that she had not made a proper allegation as a result of she didn’t wish to ‘undergo the felony course of’.
The gamers had been later cleared by the RFU, with it said there was solely proof that Brown had intercourse with the lady and that it was consensual.Â
