Renowned party boy Danny Cipriani has defended the socialising habits of fellow rugby union players, saying such bonding is a tradition of the sport.
The Melbourne Rebels star, who was not selected in the England World Cup squad because he was not signed to an English club, appeared for the Barbarians in Saturday's 60-11 flogging by Australia.
After the match Cipriani, a 24-year-old with a well-documented social life, spoke of the importance of getting together as a team.
"Sometimes the best way to bond is to go out together - not necessarily to go out and get wasted, or drink excessively," he told reporters after his invitational appearance.
"It's a part of rugby and a tradition I don't think should ever fail. Ninety-nine per cent of the time it's responsibly done and I don't think it was that irresponsible for it to happen in the World Cup."
"I can't say drinking is part and parcel of the game, but when you're working so intensively and waking up at 6am - you've got to do this protein shake, you've got to have that breakfast - you're so focused and you're away from your family," Cipriani said.
"There are the pressures of being involved in a camp and being away the whole time."
