Editorial: Mike Tindall drops ball

There should be few people surprised at the level of interest generated by security camera footage showing stand-in England rugby captain Mike Tindall and a mystery blonde in a Queenstown bar.

For the benefit of those living under a rock, Tindall has garnered all sorts of unwanted attention after the release of the grainy security camera footage which appears to show him getting intimate with a young blonde woman.

In recent times, Tindall has hit the headlines not so much for his rugby exploits, but for his marriage to the Queen's granddaughter, Zara Phillips, who made a surprise early landing in New Zealand on Wednesday night.

What the security camera footage and ensuing furore have done is illustrate the fascination that large portions of modern society have with celebrities, and anything hinting at sex or some sort of a scandal.

Throw in the Rugby World Cup fever that has gripped the country, and the connection to the Royal Family, and it's little wonder the Tindall incident, whatever the truth behind it, has gained as much traction as it has.

It doesn't help the embattled player that his alleged off-field indiscretions have occurred during his sport's global showpiece, which has ensured the typically ravenous British media are in tow and ready to pounce.

Tindall should not be surprised by any of this, and should have known all too well the need for him to be as pure as the snow-white jersey he and his English team-mates play rugby in.

Most bars now have security cameras in place, and anyone who has achieved prominence, be it through achievements on the sporting field or in other walks of life, can expect to be basically on display whenever they venture out in public.

This even extends to high profile people at Tauranga bars.

Also strange are the actions of the man accused of leaking the video camera footage, bouncer Jonathan Dixon, who has since lost his job.

It's unclear who appointed Dixon as our moral guardian, however it seems to be a role he is only too happy to play, judging by his subsequent statements in the media about releasing the footage.

Dixon has since appeared in court, charged with accessing a computer system for dishonest purposes, and it remains to be seen whether guilt on his part is established.

But irrespective of that, it appears Dixon is a man well and truly enjoying his 15 minutes of fame, happy to shine his spotlight on others and basking in the reflected glow it casts on him.

When it comes to fame, it would be a surprise if Tindall currently felt the same way.