12 Nov 2011

Tindall axed from England elite squad

12:17 pm on 12 November 2011

The England centre Mike Tindall may have played his last game for his country after being dropped from the elite squad and fined $50,000 for his off-field antics at the World Cup in New Zealand when he attracted negative publicity after being photographed on a boozy night out in Queenstown.

Pictures showed England players at various bars after their opening 13-9 win over Argentina, including one featuring a dwarf-racing competition.

Suspended fines of $10,000 have also been handed out to winger Chris Ashton and forward James Haskell for their part in events in Dunedin two days earlier while forward Dylan Hartley has been cleared of any involvement.

The suspended fines were imposed on Ashton and Haskell for breaching the squad's code of conduct relating to a separate incident in Dunedin.

Tindall has captained England before and in July married the Queen of England's granddaughter Zara Phillips, a former equestrian eventing world champion.