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OTD: England World Cup winner Mike Tindall makes life changing decision

By PA
Former England and Gloucester Rugby Player Mike Tindall looks on during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby and Exeter Chiefs at Kingsholm Stadium on February 14, 2020 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)

Mike Tindall became the final member of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning team to retire on this day in 2014.

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Tindall, then 35, decided to hang up his boots after almost two decades in the game with Bath and Gloucester.

Four days earlier, Iain Balshaw confirmed his retirement after failing to recover from a knee injury, briefly leaving Tindall as the only member of England’s triumphant World Cup squad still active.

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Head coach Andy Farrell on Ireland’s famous win over Springboks

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    Head coach Andy Farrell on Ireland’s famous win over Springboks

    The Otley-born back, who married the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips in 2011, started his career with Bath in 1997 and spent eight seasons at the Rec before moving to their West Country rivals Gloucester.

    Tindall spent almost a decade at Kingsholm and became player-coach following the arrival of director of rugby Nigel Davies in 2012.

    He played 75 matches for England and broke his nose at least eight times during his rugby career.

    Since retirement Tindall has featured on reality television shows ‘The Jump’ and ‘Bear Grylls: Mission Survive’ before finishing fourth in the 2022 series of ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’.

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    J
    JW 2 hours ago
    'He wants players to be able to play four positions': Former All Black critiques Robertson's strategy

    (sharing duties with one of our best ever in BB puts him firmly on that pedestal).

    First, in reply to your other post, Richie was only a 2 year AB when he signed after the 19’ WC, so he would be on nothing like what BB is. Instead of re-signing in 22’ for longer with NZR, he simply extended that deal that was likely a standard 300k AB retainer, getting little extra in place for the freedom of going to the market for 24’ onwards.


    All that link was for was to show that he would have been in talks while ‘sharing’ 10 duties, as apposed to where is commonly though, like in Spew’s arguments, both after he claimed the starting jersey at Cape Town, and when it was obvious Razor was going to be the next coach. The thing I think you’re missing their is that BB wasn’t sharing, if he wasn’t the 10, he was the 15, so 100% as apposed to Richies 50%, ie correlating to a 2 to 1 valuation in their (Richies) contract value as well.


    So I can definitely understand why Richie made the call early to seek a big offer from Japan, and who really knows, maybe his performances in August, even against Japan in October were in time to still be able to bump up his value? But you never hear about these signings as theyre done, announcements are scheduled months later more than not (so a December announcement wouldn’t have left much negotiating time).


    So a four year (detractors like HHT will round up to 5) AB at the time does not get offered a sabbatical IMO, especially when they were in the process of negotiating one for Barrett (BB ended up signing in Japan with options for longer right, but NZ came to him with a deal to come back, calling it a sabbatical?). All in all and as always, your outlook is tempered and reasonable Chief, I was just sharing my picture for those that try to ‘blame’ either party.

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