DANNY CIPRIANI was omitted from Gloucester’s matchday squad today for their pre-season friendly against Ulster in Belfast.

Cipriani was fined £2,000 by magistrates after pleading guilty to charges of common assault and resisting arrest following an incident outside a nightclub during Gloucester’s tour to Jersey.

The England fly-half was also ordered to pay £250 compensation for the bruised neck incurred by a policewoman during the confrontation at the Royal Yacht Hotel in St Helier in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Gloucester have selected a 31-man squad for their trip to Ravenhill Park but Cipriani’s name is missing.

Cipriani must appear before an independent disciplinary hearing next week after being charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game by the Rugby Football Union.

“We have high standards that we expect across the game, in line with rugby’s core values, from all those involved within it,” RFU head of discipline David Barnes said.

“I have this afternoon taken the decision to charge Danny Cipriani.”

The hearing will take place next week with date, time and panel members to be confirmed.

Gloucester responded to the RFU charge by issuing a statement in which they claim Cipriani has been singled out unfairly.

“We are surprised and extremely disappointed to have recently received notification of disciplinary action against Danny Cipriani by the RFU,” chief executive Stephen Vaughan said.

“Yesterday afternoon I received a personal assurance from the RFU that no disciplinary discussions would take place until we had completed our own conversations as stated in our club release.

“There is no historic precedent of a player being singled out in this manner, and we feel that this disciplinary process has been influenced by the significant media coverage of this week’s events and other external factors and not based on the actual facts of the matter.”