Is Mike taking the Mickey here? Or is somebody guilty as charged of over-hyping alleged tackles off the rugby field?

Is it outrageous to even suggest that Mike Tindall was burying his head in a blonde’s bosom while tucked away in New Zealand with his horse-riding wife equally tucked away in Ireland?

Well certainly the pictures were grainy and looked as if they’d been taken in a nightclub alright – by a drunk with a wonky camera.

In fact it appears a bouncer put the pictures on YouTube, thus ensuring they would be round the world in no time at all. Seen by the missus in Ireland, the relatives in their palaces and estates and everyone else who buys a newspaper, or reads somebody else’s, come to that.

But even if splashed out of proportion to what happened, if you are captain of our national team during the Rugby World Cup, are there not certain standards of behaviour the game, the nation and the fans, have a right to expect?

As you might expect, Mike Tindall’s loyal dad says the whole thing is just a fuss over nothing and only got reported at all because of who Mike married.

That of course (seven whole weeks ago) was Zara Phillips, granddaughter to the Queen. And despite a pretty unhappy looking weekend picture of her, friends rush to say that she’s not at all concerned. The blonde in question is an old pal.

“She is English, but lives in Australia and was on holiday in New Zealand. Zara is very relaxed about all this and the whole thing has been blown out of all proportion,” says another Zara pal.

England coach Martin Johnson promised not to impose drinking bans on his squad but threatened action for anyone who overstepped the mark.

This weekend he said: “The guys were out having a few drinks, as other teams have done in the same town during the World Cup in their build up. There’s no difference. It’s just the way it’s been reported.”

Oh, of course it is.

Another team member says England captain Tindall was targeted by the girl which doesn’t sound quite the same story as ‘old friend of the family’.

But whatever the truth, if captains of national teams are meant to set an example, newly-wed blokes should surely show at least a little discretion in their revels and respect for a wife on the other side of the world, whoever she is.

Boozy nights out and putting yourself in a position to be exploited, however innocent your intentions, is not a good idea.

When you have just married into the British royal family, somebody, Mike, will always be watching. Fair or not!

Shirley Tart