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Who Am I?
‘Powerful and thoughtful’ Don McRae, Guardian ‘A fascinating and incredibly honest insight into the pressurised life of an elite athlete, on and off the pitch’ Piers Morgan RAW. REVEALING. REFLECTIVE. The candid autobiography. Danny Cipriani has always been searching for something . On the pitch, it was a line-break or space. A chink of light to dart through. An angle that no one else could see. Off the pitch, it was seeking a path through the pressure, fame and chaos that came with being anointed the ‘Saviour of English Rugby’. Who Am I? is the raw and powerful memoir of a man of mercurial talent who, with the world at his feet, made his England rugby debut aged 20. A man who, just a year later, contemplated suicide. A man whose safe space was on the field, away from the drink, the women and the drugs he turned to in an attempt to escape his thoughts. Now, for the first time, one of the most compelling personalities in the sport reflects on who he was, where he’s come from and the man he’s become. Alongside his astute insight into playing under Martin Johnson, Stuart Lancaster and Eddie Jones, Danny also talks about chasing his dreams, his desire and passion to represent England, and his drive to become the best player he could be. This is the story of a once complicated man. A man searching for answers. A man trying to understand who he is.
336 pages, Paperback
Published July 8, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 6, 2024
easy going autobiography but nothing amazing though
November 30, 2023
I really, really wanted to like Danny Cipriani.
I’ll never forget that season where he got us (Wasps) to within three minutes of winning the Premiership. I was there, at the final, I saw the kicks and the plays. It was like a fairytale; a day full of beers, songs and hope. I felt like Aslan, watching the deep magic being written. Combine this with my vague knowledge of his home-life (he famously dated Kelly Brook, dumped her in a strip club to get with Lindsay Lohan before returning to the UK only to get hit by a bus on a night out), and I thought this would be a riotous romp through rugby’s seedy underbelly.
But it wasn’t to be.
The biography starts with him caring for his mother who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s, and it never really picks up from there. He moans his way though his late teen years, stresses the fact that he didn't drink and could always see rugby differently to everyone else. In short, he establishes a preachy tone which he carries on with throughout the entire book. No one understands him. His way is the best way. Everyone else is wrong and he had all the answers because he’s got “mindfulness”. Honestly, he just sounds like one of those spiritual f*ck boys who steals your girlfriend during her first week of Freshers.
You think there’s going to be a reprieve about one-hundred pages in when he finally starts taking drugs but nope – no funny stories, no tales of daring doo, just him calling vague B-list celebrity friends “beautiful souls”. He claims he has a series of threesomes but never spills any actual tea (I know he messed about with Katie Price at some point cause she calls him Danny Chipotle). The only interesting thing he admits to is “micro-dosing mushrooms” to unlock his spirituality.
I mean, Danny, come on mate, give me some gossip! What’s it like mattress-wrestling Page Three girls? If you’re doing shrooms with Josh Brolin, tell me what he said while tripping balls. You’re only thirty-six, why have you married a woman with grandkids? Or if all that is too wild, why not just talk about any of the England rugby stars you played with. What’s Joe Launchbury’s go-to cocktail?
My point is, this is all very self-indulgent with no laughs and only Danny’s self-praising preaching to keep you company. I wanted to read this book while lounging upon my sofa, in silk pyjamas, whispering "goodness how salacious" over a cup of tea. Instead, I got your mum's yoga teacher crossed with Andrew Tate.
Despite being the bad boy of rugby, Danny Cipriani, it turns out, is incredibly boring.
I’ll never forget that season where he got us (Wasps) to within three minutes of winning the Premiership. I was there, at the final, I saw the kicks and the plays. It was like a fairytale; a day full of beers, songs and hope. I felt like Aslan, watching the deep magic being written. Combine this with my vague knowledge of his home-life (he famously dated Kelly Brook, dumped her in a strip club to get with Lindsay Lohan before returning to the UK only to get hit by a bus on a night out), and I thought this would be a riotous romp through rugby’s seedy underbelly.
But it wasn’t to be.
The biography starts with him caring for his mother who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s, and it never really picks up from there. He moans his way though his late teen years, stresses the fact that he didn't drink and could always see rugby differently to everyone else. In short, he establishes a preachy tone which he carries on with throughout the entire book. No one understands him. His way is the best way. Everyone else is wrong and he had all the answers because he’s got “mindfulness”. Honestly, he just sounds like one of those spiritual f*ck boys who steals your girlfriend during her first week of Freshers.
You think there’s going to be a reprieve about one-hundred pages in when he finally starts taking drugs but nope – no funny stories, no tales of daring doo, just him calling vague B-list celebrity friends “beautiful souls”. He claims he has a series of threesomes but never spills any actual tea (I know he messed about with Katie Price at some point cause she calls him Danny Chipotle). The only interesting thing he admits to is “micro-dosing mushrooms” to unlock his spirituality.
I mean, Danny, come on mate, give me some gossip! What’s it like mattress-wrestling Page Three girls? If you’re doing shrooms with Josh Brolin, tell me what he said while tripping balls. You’re only thirty-six, why have you married a woman with grandkids? Or if all that is too wild, why not just talk about any of the England rugby stars you played with. What’s Joe Launchbury’s go-to cocktail?
My point is, this is all very self-indulgent with no laughs and only Danny’s self-praising preaching to keep you company. I wanted to read this book while lounging upon my sofa, in silk pyjamas, whispering "goodness how salacious" over a cup of tea. Instead, I got your mum's yoga teacher crossed with Andrew Tate.
Despite being the bad boy of rugby, Danny Cipriani, it turns out, is incredibly boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2024
I'm not a rugby union fan but I was aware of Danny Cipriani in a tangential way. His name brought forward thoughts of a brilliant player who never seemed to hit the heights his skills suggested as well as being a regular presence in the tabloid gossip pages.
This book zig zagged around and could have been very good. On so many occasions in the book Danny reflects on the reasons why he wasn't selected more for England , why he moved through so many clubs . acknowledging that he was a difficult and challenging player but with much to contribute in terms of playing attacking and successful rugby - there is more than a little self reflection ... but... but ... but the book always circles around to long passages bemoaning a whole host of coaches who were not upto the job, or who felt challenged by better ideas coming from players ( well one player ) and if only they had listened to him ( or done exactly what he wanted )
There is a terrific story to be told of how Danny Cipriani overcame a challenging childhood, a father who abandoned the family and a hard driving mother that finds it difficult to express love but this does get buried in the book, which is a shame as he has undoubtedly overcome adversity and also been given opportunity - a scholarship at a young age to a prestige private school. His mother gets a consistently negative approach in the book , his father much more consideration.
The book is trailed as a tell all about Danny's private life, it's not really, not that this concerned me but if you were picking up this book looking for details of his , shall we say , busy love life and celebrity escapades they are thin on the ground and sketchy.
The almost but not taking responsibility for actions got a bit wearing particularly when it came to the drink driving prosecution that he almost seemed to be blaming the other (sober) driver for
Within the book are a number of essays from people in his life, mostly lines of praise from the likes of Margot Wells and Jonny Wilkinson along the lines of what a top bloke Danny is and how misunderstood he is. This was not a part of the book I particularly enjoyed. More awkward was the final character reference from his (then) wife Victoria , whom throughout the book he describes as his forever love but whom he had left and divorced barely after the book had hit the shelves. This felt awkward and I felt for her having this forever captured in print.
The more affecting parts of the book are when he speaks of the help the late Steve Black provided for him personally, clearly a relationship that both helped him enormously and meant a lot to him and also his reflections on the passing of Caroline Flack , a former partner and a friend of his - these were moving and genuine.
These elements got smothered however by the repeated criticisms of coaches, the rugby establishment and the world in general as well as the regular excursions into California flavoured spiritualism and hocus pocus - many trips to Malibu were taken to hang out with the boys and have deep and meandering conversations about how our ancestors live on through us ( literally ) and the like
My "favourite" line was his statement that he is a believer in science but that "it" has to be about feel also.
A meandering book with some interesting elements in it but generally not for me
This book zig zagged around and could have been very good. On so many occasions in the book Danny reflects on the reasons why he wasn't selected more for England , why he moved through so many clubs . acknowledging that he was a difficult and challenging player but with much to contribute in terms of playing attacking and successful rugby - there is more than a little self reflection ... but... but ... but the book always circles around to long passages bemoaning a whole host of coaches who were not upto the job, or who felt challenged by better ideas coming from players ( well one player ) and if only they had listened to him ( or done exactly what he wanted )
There is a terrific story to be told of how Danny Cipriani overcame a challenging childhood, a father who abandoned the family and a hard driving mother that finds it difficult to express love but this does get buried in the book, which is a shame as he has undoubtedly overcome adversity and also been given opportunity - a scholarship at a young age to a prestige private school. His mother gets a consistently negative approach in the book , his father much more consideration.
The book is trailed as a tell all about Danny's private life, it's not really, not that this concerned me but if you were picking up this book looking for details of his , shall we say , busy love life and celebrity escapades they are thin on the ground and sketchy.
The almost but not taking responsibility for actions got a bit wearing particularly when it came to the drink driving prosecution that he almost seemed to be blaming the other (sober) driver for
Within the book are a number of essays from people in his life, mostly lines of praise from the likes of Margot Wells and Jonny Wilkinson along the lines of what a top bloke Danny is and how misunderstood he is. This was not a part of the book I particularly enjoyed. More awkward was the final character reference from his (then) wife Victoria , whom throughout the book he describes as his forever love but whom he had left and divorced barely after the book had hit the shelves. This felt awkward and I felt for her having this forever captured in print.
The more affecting parts of the book are when he speaks of the help the late Steve Black provided for him personally, clearly a relationship that both helped him enormously and meant a lot to him and also his reflections on the passing of Caroline Flack , a former partner and a friend of his - these were moving and genuine.
These elements got smothered however by the repeated criticisms of coaches, the rugby establishment and the world in general as well as the regular excursions into California flavoured spiritualism and hocus pocus - many trips to Malibu were taken to hang out with the boys and have deep and meandering conversations about how our ancestors live on through us ( literally ) and the like
My "favourite" line was his statement that he is a believer in science but that "it" has to be about feel also.
A meandering book with some interesting elements in it but generally not for me
October 28, 2024
This is a puzzling book. I am a Gloucester fan and wanted to like Cipriani as he had a brilliant spell at the cherry and whites. Having completed the book, it isn't easy. He is a contradictory character and seems, at least in part, to be in denial.
He only rates two rugby coaches, Ashton and Edwards, yet the sins of the others are to try and coach rather than just let Danny do it for them given that he is so much better at it.
There is no doubt that he has a sound rugby brain and on his day could be outstanding. English rugby needed someone who could provide inspiration but it needed to be part of a team structure.
He probably should have won more caps, but ultimately, coaches didn't trust him or want his dissenting voice in the changing rooms. He takes umbrage at Dallaglio asking whether all the coaches can be wrong, but I tend to side with the former captain!
There is always a reason trouble hits Danny, but he seems not to really accept the consequences as just. There is also much sadness, notably the death of his ex, Caroline Flack, and he deserves sympathy for being honest about some of his frailties.
I do wish him well and hope he has found happiness and can use his knowledge to become a good coach.
The book is an interesting read, but throughout I just felt sad at his inability to fulfil his exceptional talent.
He only rates two rugby coaches, Ashton and Edwards, yet the sins of the others are to try and coach rather than just let Danny do it for them given that he is so much better at it.
There is no doubt that he has a sound rugby brain and on his day could be outstanding. English rugby needed someone who could provide inspiration but it needed to be part of a team structure.
He probably should have won more caps, but ultimately, coaches didn't trust him or want his dissenting voice in the changing rooms. He takes umbrage at Dallaglio asking whether all the coaches can be wrong, but I tend to side with the former captain!
There is always a reason trouble hits Danny, but he seems not to really accept the consequences as just. There is also much sadness, notably the death of his ex, Caroline Flack, and he deserves sympathy for being honest about some of his frailties.
I do wish him well and hope he has found happiness and can use his knowledge to become a good coach.
The book is an interesting read, but throughout I just felt sad at his inability to fulfil his exceptional talent.
August 27, 2024
Three and a half stars.
Rugby's 'bad boy' Danny Cipriani has his say in this enjoyable and honest autobiography.
There aren't many England or club coaches who escape his criticism in this book.
A decent page turner that doesn't overtax the brain.
Rugby's 'bad boy' Danny Cipriani has his say in this enjoyable and honest autobiography.
There aren't many England or club coaches who escape his criticism in this book.
A decent page turner that doesn't overtax the brain.
August 26, 2024
Unspairingly honest & inspiring..A great 📚
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2026
As ex Wasps season ticket holders, enjoyed this very open and honest account of Danny's life. Was a shame the incompetancies of RFU and its coaches meant others did not get to appreciate his talent
January 3, 2024
Really interesting, although felt his opinion a straight white man on the identity of gay people was a bit uneccassary, especially without any (known) experience of it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews