Rugby: Tindall reinstated to England squad

Disgraced England player Mike Tindall. Photo / Getty Images

Disgraced rugby star Mike Tindall has been restored to England's "Elite Player Squad'' after appealing against his punishment for misconduct during the Rugby World Cup.

The 33-year-old centre has also had a fine reduced from £25,000 pounds ($NZ51,000) to £15,000 pounds ($NZ30,800)

Tindall was dumped from the squad earlier this month when photos and footage of a boozy night out with teammates at the Rugby World Cup showed him in a compromising situation with a woman who was clearly not his wife, Zara Phillips.

The English Rugby Union today released a statement saying Tindall did not intentionally mislead team management when he stated that he could not remember where he was on the night of September 11.

RFU acting chief executive Martyn Thomas said he accepted there were `"mitigating factors'' that were not sufficiently taken into account when the original judgement was made.

"Taking all these factors into account we have decided to reduce the fine to £15,000 and reverse the decision to remove Mike from the England Elite Player Squad. It is however important to stress that we believe Mike's behaviour fell way below that to be expected of somebody of his calibre and experience. He exposed himself to a very compromising position and exposed the rest of the team to damaging publicity," Thomas said.

At the time RFU professional rugby director Rob Andrew said the behaviour was not to be tolerated.

"Mike Tindall's actions reached a level of misconduct that was unacceptable in a senior England player and amounted to a very serious breach of the EPS code of conduct," Andrew said.

- HERALD ONLINE/AP