England’s Danny Cipriani held for 'drink-driving' after 5am car crash

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England player Danny Cipriani has been held on suspicion of drink driving
His vehicle was involved in a collision with another car on Monday morning
Police held him at the scene and breath tested him before being released
He has not been charged and police refused to say if he was over the limit

Published: 19:09 EST, 1 June 2015 | Updated: 04:36 EST, 2 June 2015

Danny Cipriani's World Cup hopes were in jeopardy last night after he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving - just hours after being named as England's man of the match.

The 27-year-old faced being axed from the squad for the second time in his rugby career after his £60,000 black Mercedes was involved in a 5am collision in Chelsea, West London.

On Sunday afternoon, the World Cup hopeful had been presented with a bottle of Champagne after scoring 33 points in England's XV's resounding victory at Twickenham against Barbarians.

The performance was seen as a mark of his recent return to form following a six-year international hiatus - and a boost for his claims to be included in the World Cup squad.

But hours later, Cipriani - who has had a somewhat turbulent career - appeared to have all-but blown his chances of selection after being held at Fulham police station.

Danny Cipriani was taken to a police station before being released on police bail to a future date after his Mercedes was involved in a collision

He was given a breath test before being released on police bail until a future date.

Cipriani, who was not injured, has not been charged, and police refused to say whether his breath test found him to be over the drink-drive limit.

But the incident could be another blow to England's head coach Stuart Lancaster, who has had to axe two of his players from the 50-man World Cup squad following a string of disciplinary issues.

The match was only Cipriani's second start for England under Lancaster, following a six break from the international scene.

But, after the game, Lancaster heaped praise on the Sale Sharks star, in what was seen as nod to his chances of making the World Cup squad.

He said: 'He has learned a lot about discipline from Sale this year, so he has been a lot more controlled and composed in games.'

CIPRIANI'S TURBULENT CAREER

2008: Swears during a live TV following England's Six Nations victory against Ireland.

2008: Knocked out by Wasps team-mate Josh Lewsey in a training ground bust-up.

2010: Complaints from management about behaviour on England Saxons trip to Italy. Joins Melbourne Rebels.

2011: Accused of taking a bottle of vodka from the bar of a Melbourne nightspot without paying for it.

2011: Dropped by Melbourne Rebels for breaching team curfews and failing to turn up to training.

2012: Cuts short his contract with Melbourne and returns to England with Sale.

2012: A run of poor form sees him dropped by Sale.

2013: Hospitalised after being struck by a bus while on pub crawl in Leeds city centre.

2013: Cipriani is arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after crash in Chelsea.

Cipriani, who once dated Kelly Brook, also said he was pleased with his performance, adding: 'It's down to me to keep showing good decision making and keep doing the things I'm good at.'

Last night, a Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed the arrest:

She said: 'The cars involved were a silver Toyota Prius and a black Mercedes C63.

'The driver of the Mercedes, a 27-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

'He was taken to a west London police station where he was later released on police bail.'

Cipriani's agent Oliver Ward added: 'There was a minor road traffic collision last night and Danny co-operated with police by going to the station.

'He has not been charged with any offence and is on unrestricted bail except to return to the station when the police have investigated what happened.'

The incident marks yet another setback in Cipriani's turbulent career.

In 2008, Cipriani was dropped from what would have been his first England test start, after being seen leaving a nightclub two days before a Six Nations match.

The then 21-year-old had been told to have an early night, but was spotted emerging from the Isis nightclub in Mayfair, central London, at around 12.30am.

He has not been charged and police refused to say if his breath test found him to be over the drink drive limit. Here he is pictured during Sunday's game against the Barbarians, in which he scored 33 points

After the game, Lancaster heaped praise on the player, saying: 'He has learned a lot about discipline from Sale this year, so he has been a lot more controlled and composed in games'

At the time, his teammates had already given him the nickname DCWSWAM - Danny Cipriani Who Slept With A Man - following his dalliance with transgender Larissa Summers.

That same year, while playing for Wasps, he was also involved in a training ground fracas with England teammate Josh Lewsey.

Three years later, while playing in Australia, Cipriani landed in hot water after being accused of taking a bottle of vodka from a bar in Melbourne without paying for it.

He was later stood down for a month for breaching team curfews and failing to turn up to training.

Cipriani has been linked to a string of celebrity women and used to date model Kelly Brook (pictured together in 2009)

He also had a fling with Katie Price in 2011, who dubbed him 'Danny Chipolata'. The pair are pictured together at Thorpe Park

And in 2013, Cipriani suffered concussion after being hit by a bus while wearing a catsuit on a 15-bar pub crawl out with teammates in Leeds.

But his life off the pitch has been just as colourful. Cipriani had a very public on-off relationship with Kelly Brook for five years.

RUGBY STAR'S FORMER FLAMES

Kelly Brook: The pair had a very public on-off relationship for five years before it ended acrimoniously in 2013.

Katie Price: Cipriani reportedly had a fling with the former glamour model in 2011.

Lindsay Lohan: The rugby star was rumoured to be seeing the actress in 2010.

Jasmine Waltz: Cipriani dated the Celebrity Big Brother contestant in 2010 before the pair rekindled theie romance last year.

Caggie Dunlop: The player was spotted with the Made In Chelsea star last year.

Sophie Gradon: He also dated underwear model and Miss Great Britain Sophie Gradon, before she ended things in 2013 because he was 'too boring'.

The pair had originally dated from 2008 until 2010, before she went on to have a two-year romance with his former Wasps teammate Thom Evans.

They were then reunited, just weeks after her split from Thom. The relationship ended acrimoniously in 2013.

He also had a fling with Katie Price in 2011, who dubbed him 'Danny Chipolata'.

The revelations led to former Big Brother star Imogen Thomas taking to Twitter in anger - because she had thought she and Cipriani were a couple.

Cipriani also dated Celebrity Big Brother contestant Jasmine Waltz , who claimed to have 'tamed him'. The pair first dated in 2010 before they rekindled their relationship last year.

In 2013, he was dumped by underwear model and Miss Great Britain Sophie Gradon for being 'too boring'.

The rugby player has also been linked with actress Lindsay Lohan and Made in Chelsea star Caggie Dunlop.

Last week, England international Manu Tuilagi was banned from driving, just days after he had been convicted of attacking two police officers and a taxi driver.

Lancaster said the 24-year-old - whose career has repeatedly been interrupted by disciplinary offences - would not be part of the national squad for the World Cup.

Hooker Dylan Hartley was also kicked out of the team last week after he head-butted a rival during the Aviva Premiership semi-final.