Tindall back in elite squad after appeal as Mallett renews interest in England job

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.

Tindall, whose appeal was heard by acting RFU chief executive Martyn Thomas, received backing from the Rugby Players’ Association. 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 heard his behaviour described as unacceptable.

The 75 times-capped player misled England management in that he did not tell them he went to another bar in Queenstown. But in announcing his decision, Thomas said he felt mitigating factors did not appear to have been taken into account “to the extent that they might otherwise have been”.

Thomas said: “Mike did not intentionally mislead the RFU team management when he stated that he could not remember where he was on the night of September 11, and that he was relying on other people’s versions of events which were relayed to him. There was no evidence of any suggestion of sexual impropriety of any nature with the woman in question and we accept the fact that she is a family friend who he has known for a long time.

“Mike expressed deep regret during the appeal meeting about his behaviour. There was no evidence that Mike had been involved in any incidences in the past which could contribute as aggravating factors.”

Meanwhile, Nick Mallett has indicated that he would be interested in becoming England’s head coach – if a restructured Rugby Football Union approached him next year.

Earlier this month, the RFU sounded Mallett out over his availability for the role that was vacated by Martin Johnson 12 days ago, but family reasons meant the timing was wrong.

The 55-year-old is widely regarded as the outstanding candidate for the position, but his refusal to answer to a director of elite rugby – Andrew – would prove a major stumbling block. But just two weeks after ruling himself out, Mallett – speaking in promotion of Saturday’s Heroes Rugby Challenge at Twickenham – has offered the RFU hope of recruiting their preferred choice.

When asked if he would be interested if the RFU approached him in April or May, he replied: “You can never say no.

“The family situation might have changed. I might have spent four or five months at home. My wife might be saying to me ‘it’s time to get off the sofa and back into coaching’. And the RFU will hopefully have resolved their issues by then. At the moment it’s hypothetical, but it certainly wouldn’t be out of the question.”

Mallett objects to the existing chain of command at Twickenham whereby the head coach answers to a director of elite rugby. The former South Africa, Stade Francais and Italy coach believes coaches should report only to the chief executive and board.

“I don’t think a head coach should answer to a performance director quite frankly. I actually don’t believe in a performance director,” he said.

“Look at previous World Cup winning coaches – I can’t remember any team with a director of rugby being successful.”

New Zealand’s World Cup-winning assistant coach Wayne Smith, another strong candidate, indicated he would be unavailable until next summer.

Mallett and Smith are coaching the Southern Hemisphere against the Northern Hemisphere in a match staged to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity. Danny Grewcock, Will Greenwood, Ben Cohen, Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall are among the players who will join servicemen and emerging academy talent at Twickenham.