Danny Cipriani has been told he will 'hate himself' when his rugby career is over unless he cleans up his act.

Former England star Austin Healey issued the warning after Cipriani's slumping career hit a new low.

The one-time England fly-half is close to being sacked by Melbourne following yesterday's revelation that his team mates have "lost confidence" in him.

They are furious that having broken a late-night curfew - imposed by the players themselves - Cipriani went out again the next night - and then skipped training.

Healey (below) said: "There's a post-career resentment that you get whether you've had a great career or not. And if you know you messed it all up yourself it becomes a lot more powerful.

"When Danny gets to 35-40, people will have to start taking his belt and his shoe laces off him because he'll hate and resent himself for it."



Cipriani is said to have no confidence in globally respected Rod Macqueen, the World Cup-winning coach in charge of Melbourne.

It remains to be seen whether he is agitating for a move following speculation linking him to French club Toulon.

Either way he is unlikely to see the second year of his contract Down Under - and Healey has no sympathy.

"If he wants to carry on being an idiot and p***ing his life up against a wall it's up to him," said the Leicester Lip.

"Danny's obviously got plenty of talent but from what I've seen it looks like he's gone off the rails.

"He needs to go somewhere where he just plays rugby, not cruises around town thinking he's some sort of big shot because, let's be honest, he's not.

"He's played a couple of games for England, he's got potential, but he's never proved himself properly.

"What it shows is he hasn't got the courage of his own convictions. He can talk a good game but he's not prepared, at the minute, to make the sacrifices necessary to become a top player."

Melbourne released a statement yesterday to explain why the 23-year-old had been omitted from their squad for two Super 15 matches in South Africa.

"The playing group and management have lost confidence in Danny after the latest in a series of off-field breaches of the team's behavioural standards," said chief executive Ross Oakley.

"Management is addressing these issues with Danny, and we support the decision to not allow him to join the tour to South Africa."

Healey believes it is not too late for Cipriani to rescue his career but he has to act now - and start by admitting to himself that he is at fault.

"It gets to the stage that you just can't be bothered talking about him any more," Healey said.

"I'd much rather talk about Owen Farrell, a talented young English fly-half who is making his name ON the field."



There were contrasting fortunes last night for the other high-maintenance British rugby star recently in hot water.

Last week Gavin Henson (above) narrowly avoided being sacked by Toulon for his part in a drunken bar brawl with team mates.

Yesterday he was welcomed back into the Wales  squad for next month's 'cap' international against the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium.

There was no place for Andy Powell, the Wales No.8 booted out of Wasps last week for getting involved in a vicious pub fight in west London.

But Dragons boss Warren Gatland decided that recalling the Waxed One after two years out of Test rugby was a risk worth taking.

Gatland said: "This game gives us an opportunity to get Gavin back into the fold.

"We want to have a look at a quality player. I know there have been certain issues, but all I can say about Gavin is that when he has been in our squad you couldn't get a guy who has been more professional in terms of the training environment.

"If we can get the best out of Gavin, I think it would be good for Wales. We have been prepared to take that risk with Gavin."



Paul Sackey (above), England's leading try scorer at the 2007 World Cup, has been released by Toulon after the club's failure to reach the French Championship semi-finals.

The ex-Wasps wing scored six tries in 20 appearances but that was not enough for mega-rich Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal.

"As he (Sackey) did not satisfy us, we have decided to release him," said Boudjellal, who has told team boss Phillippe Saint-Andre his job is safe.

WALES SQUAD - Forwards: P James (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), R Bevington (Ospreys), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), H Bennett (Ospreys), R Hibbard (Ospreys), L Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), L Reed (Scarlets), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), J Turnbull (Scarlets), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt). Backs: M Stoddart (Scarlets), G North (Scarlets), A Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Williams (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), G Henson (Toulon), S Jones (Scarlets), R Priestland (Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys), T Knoyle (Scarlets).

a.spink@mirror.co.uk