Exclusive: Mike Tindall reflects on New Zealand tour

Mike Tindall outlined the perils and pitfalls of being an England rugby star in rugby-mad New Zealand as the curtain came down on their troubled tour. 
 
The experienced World Cup winner spoke openly about how easily naive young players can find themselves caught up in off-the-field problems. 
 
Tindall spent the final few days in Christchurch accompanied by Royal girlfriend Zara Phillips as he prepared for yesterday's final Test. 
 
Four of his team-mates found themselves embroiled in the sex saga which has overshadowed this tour. New Zealand police are investigating an allegation that a woman was "raped/and or sexually assaulted by four players". 
 
The players involved accept that two of them had sex with a teenage woman in the team hotel in Auckland last weekend while two others watched. All protest their innocence, claiming that sex was consensual. 
 
Tindall believes the players caught up in the incident will learn from the experience and said: "It's never easy touring here and I think it's been a real eye-opener for the less experienced guys in the squad. They have never seen or been involved in anything like this before. 
 
"Life is one big learning curve. I've learned to look after myself on tour over a number of years and the lads out here on this trip will learn from what has gone on over the week. 
 
"It's one thing trying to explain to them what to expect but another when you're actually out here in the middle of it. You cannot really get across what it's like." 
 
Tindall fears future tours may never be the same again. Head coach Martin Johnson is preparing to issue a strict new player Code of Conduct when the club-country agreement kicks in on July 1. 
 
It will attempt to cut out any potential future player problems on tour - and is expected to address the issue of players taking local girls back to their hotels, which has been allowed up to now. 
 
The 29-year-old Gloucester centre is a veteran of many tours to this side of the world where the locals love to win the psychological battles as well as physical ones. 
 
Tindall (left) admits Tuesday - when the allegations were revealed by police - was "a difficult day for everyone in the squad". 
 
Rfu chairman Francis Baron insists his players are targets for anyone wishing to cause problems and Tindall added: "I hope future tours don't change that dramatically because of what happened here. 
 
"It would be a real shame to lose that special team togetherness where you can relax in between games and enjoy yourself as well as the surroundings of another country. 
 
"But being professional rugby players has given us all a higher profile, especially when you play for your country. And you are in the spotlight so much more - whether it's on or off the field."