Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending his behaviour - it was unprofessional to say the least. However the punishment seems to be disproportionate and a reaction to the press's interest, which in turn was due to his family connections, rather than anything to do with rugby.

All he did was go out and have a few drinks. So far as I am aware he did nothing particularly untoward, apart from the matter with the blonde which in my opinion is for him to explain to his wife, not the RFU. However this did attract an undue amount of press attention. Contrast that with the other two players who made inappropriate remarks to a female hotel worker (for which, in fairness they immediately apologised and said no offence was intended). That seems to me to far less acceptable behaviour, for which they were fined only £5000, suspended, compared with Tindall's fine of £25k and the loss of his place.