Eight rugby players who were sacked by their clubs for disciplinary issues

He was sacked after knocking out a 21-year-old student in an unprovoked attack in 2016. Bath terminated the flanker’s contract after he pleaded guilty. with Samoa international given a suspended prison sentence for causing actual bodily harm when he was drunk in the city’s SouthGate centre on February 6. Fa’osiliva then went onto join Worcester before hanging up his boots.

The winger had his contract terminated by Sale Sharks in 2017 after an internal investigation found that he leaked confidential team information to Bristol before their Premiership game on 1 January. He then headed to France for a season before returning to the Premiership with Newcastle Falcons.

He was released by Wasps following an internal investigation into a fight with football fans in a west London pub in April 2011. Powell, who was knocked out during the brawl, subsequently needed stitches in a face wound. His injuries meant he was not able to attend a Wasps media conference the following day to promote the St George's Day Premiership fixture against Bath at Twickenham and he was suspended along with the England prop Tim Payne, who had been in the pub with him.

Jackson's and Olding's contracts were revoked by Ulster Rugby and the IRFU on 14 April 2018, following a review. A statement from the IRFU stated "In arriving at this decision, the Irish Rugby Football Union and Ulster Rugby acknowledge our responsibility and commitment to the core values of the game: Respect, Inclusivity and Integrity. It has been agreed, as part of this commitment, to conduct an in-depth review of existing structures and educational programmes, within the game in Ireland, to ensure the importance of these core values is clearly understood, supported and practised at every level of the game."

The Fijian winger was sacked by Top 14 side Stade Francais for gross misconduct in relation to an incident in a Paris nightclub in July 2017. Compatriot Waisea Nayacalevu, meanwhile, who was also at the Les Nuits Fauves nightclub in the 13th arrondissement of the city, has received a formal warning.

The Wales A rugby international was sacked by Northampton after being convicted of drink-driving. The 23-year-old Newman, whose contract at Franklins Gardens was due to run out at the end of the season, was shown the door this week after he was banned from driving for 18 months and fined £400 having been found to be nearly twice the legal limit when stopped by police in Bedford in December 2001. Newman went onto play for Ospreys, Glasgow Warriors, Grenoble and London Irish before hanging up his boots.

The former Wallabies captain was sacked by his top-tier Japanese rugby club over an alleged assault of a taxi driver on New Year's Eve. The 37-year-old flanker was arrested after he allegedly fled without paying his $110 fare and then hit the driver who chased him. Smith — who played 111 tests for Australia — spent 18 days in custody but prosecutors decided not to indict him. But his club, the premiership-winning Suntory Sungoliath, cancelled his contract.