Tindall signs new one-year Gloucester deal

LONDON (AFP) –

England’s Mike Tindall in Auckland, New Zealand in September 2011. World Cup ‘bad boy’ Tindall has signed a new contract with Premiership club Gloucester that will see the centre become a player/coach at the south-west side.

England World Cup ‘bad boy’ Mike Tindall has signed a new contract with Premiership club Gloucester that will see the centre become a player/coach at the south-west side.

The 33-year-old has been at Kingsholm for the past seven seasons and recently-appointed Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Davies said Tuesday: “Mike has a lot of valuable experience and great loyalty to Gloucester Rugby and its supporters and understands what it means to be a part of this club.

“He will be operating as player and backs coach for me in the coming year. I think he has a very strong tradition and heritage with the club and a very good rugby brain.

“I think it’s very important to have a certain amount of continuity at any club with your senior players and I see Mike providing that continuity,” added Davies, previously in charge of Welsh giants Llanelli.

Tindall, a World Cup winner in 2003, won the last of his 75 caps during England’s controversial World Cup campaign in New Zealand last year, where he captained the side early in the tournament while Lewis Moody was injured.

Midfielder Tindall was the most senior player involved in a series of drunken antics during a squad night out in the resort town of Queenstown.

Leaked security footage showed Tindall, recently married to Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughter Zara Phillips, being kissed on the head by a woman in a bar.