Appeal joy could rescue Tindall’s career

Mike Tindall has been reinstated in England’s elite player squad and had a £25,000 fine reduced to £15,000 after an appeal against the punishment meted out for his off-field World Cup behaviour.

The England and Gloucester centre appealed the original Rugby Football Union punishment which saw him kicked out of the squad and hit with a sizeable fine.

But Tindall, whose appeal was heard by acting RFU chief executive Martyn Thomas, received backing from the Rugby Players’ Association, with many people feeling he had been made a scapegoat for England’s World Cup woes in New Zealand, and the RFU last night confirmed his appeal had been successful to a large extent.

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A statement from the RFU read: “Mike Tindall’s fine for breaches of the England elite player squad agreement during the 2011 Rugby World Cup has been reduced from £25,000 to £15,000 and he has been reinstated into the England Elite Player Squad.”

The RPA described Tindall’s fine as “unprecedented” and “extraordinary,” and the verdict announced last night has potentially salvaged 2003 World Cup winner Tindall’s England career.

The initial sanction came after RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew and legal and governance director Karena Vleck took evidence earlier this month about 33-year-old Tindall’s behaviour with a blonde women at the Altitude bar in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Tindall, who is married to the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips, heard his behaviour described as unacceptable.

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The 75 time-capped player misled England management in that he did not tell them he went to another bar in Queenstown.

But in announcing his decision – it follows an appeal hearing held at a secret location last week – Thomas said he felt mitigating factors did not appear to have been taken into account “to the extent that they might otherwise have been”.

n Andy Irvine claims British and Irish Lions bosses have “a completely open mind” on who should be head coach for the 2013 tour to Australia.

Former Scotland and Lions full-back Irvine will manage the 10-game trip, which begins with a fixture against the Barbarians in Hong Kong and features three Tests against the Wallabies.

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The head coach’s identity is set to be revealed next April or May, with Irvine hoping for availability from Wales head coach Warren Gatland, Ireland chief Declan Kidney and Scotland’s Andy Robinson. Sir Ian McGeechan, the most successful coach in Lions history, could also be among the contenders.