Mike Tindall thrown out of England rugby squad

11/11/2011

Mike Tindall has been omitted from the England Elite Player Squad after a breach of discipline in the Rugby World Cup.

The team captain was dropped and fined £25,000 over an off-field incident in Queenstown during the tournament.

Other players punished for misdemeanours in New Zealand included James Haskell and Chris Ashton, who received warnings and suspended fines over a hotel incident in Dunedin involving a member of staff.

Improved discipline may help to galvanise the England side and ensure better performances in the Six Nations and later in 2012 when they take the field against Fiji, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in autumn international games at Twickenham.

Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union's professional rugby director, said the action should be "a strong reminder that the highest standards of personal conduct are expected from any England player on and off the field".

While some of England's players have been in trouble, former England hooker Brian Moore recently wrote in the Daily Telegraph that the RFU board should resign en-masse.

By Ted Walker