Mike Tindall ‘better than four years ago’ says Nigel Davies

Mike Tindall is close to putting pen to paper on a deal to remain player-coach at Gloucester, according to Cherry & Whites boss Nigel Davies.
Former England centre Tindall, 34, has been outstanding for the Kingsholm outfit and Davies is keen for him to continue his dual role.
Davies told The Rugby Paper: “We’re pretty much there and Mike will be part of our coaching set-up next season. Playing-wise, he wants to make himself available and I can’t argue because he’s had such a good season for us.
“He’s probably played his best rugby of the last four years and to have him available has been magnificent. Mike’s done a fantastic job mixing the coaching and playing, which is never easy and very few people are successful at.”
Gloucester face the final match of a rollercoaster season at Exeter this week with Davies reflecting on what might have been.
Brilliant one week, disappointing the next, Davies has endured a crash course on Premiership life since joining from the Scarlets last summer and admits to being surprised by the overall standard of the competition.
“Every team has been capable of beating each other and there’s a huge amount of quality in this league,” Davies explained.
“What’s surprised me more than anything is the depth of players. It probably shouldn’t have because there’s a large player base in England, but every team seems to have two or three players that can turn a game on its head.
“Every team offers a different challenge and I love the independence of the clubs. You’ve got Gloucester going up against Bath, Northampton and Leicester, teams with huge followings who are passionate about their teams.”
Critics argue the PRO12 provides more open rugby because of its lack of relegation and a laissez-fair attitude to Heineken Cup qualification.
But try-scoring rates are identical and Davies, who believes English and French demands to have the PRO12’s Heineken Cup qualification process revamped are justified, says the added intensity is what sets the Premiership apart.
Davies said: “I don’t think the style of rugby in the Premiership is inferior at all. Overall, the average quality of player is slightly higher because you need that to be competitive.
“In Wales, I was used to losing 12 or 13 guys for nearly three months a year to international duty, so, because of low budgets, you ended up carrying a younger squad.
“But in the Premiership we have to carry a lot more experienced players because there’s real jeopardy in this league through its intensity.
“I can see where the English clubs are coming from on Europe and there are a lot of people in Wales who understand that as well. There are big drivers within Wales to make the PRO12 more competitive and to have jeopardy in there.
“We need the Heineken Cup to retain its European flavour, which means embracing everybody, but even people within the PRO12 would say the competition needs a bit more spice to make sure teams field their strongest sides.”
NEALE HARVEY