Mike Tindall has been reinstated in England's elite player squad and had a £25,000 fine reduced to £15,000 after an appeal against the punishment meted out for his off-field World Cup behaviour.
The England and Gloucester centre appealed the original Rugby Football Union punishment which saw him kicked out of the squad and hit with a sizeable fine.
But Tindall, whose appeal was heard by acting RFU chief executive Martyn Thomas, received backing from the Rugby Players' Association, with many people feeling he had been a scapegoat for England's World Cup woes in New Zealand, and the RFU tonight confirmed his appeal had been successful to a large extent.
A statement from the RFU read: "Mike Tindall's fine for breaches of the England elite player squad agreement during the 2011 Rugby World Cup has been reduced from £25,000 to £15,000 and he has been reinstated into the England Elite Player Squad."
The RPA described Tindall's fine as "unprecedented" and "extraordinary," and the verdict announced tonight has potentially salvaged 2003 World Cup winner Tindall's England career.
The initial sanction came after RFU elite rugby director Rob Andrew and legal and governance director Karena Vleck took evidence earlier this month about 33-year-old Tindall's behaviour with a blonde women at the Altitude bar in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Tindall, who is married to the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips, heard his behaviour described as unacceptable.
The 75 times-capped player misled England management in that he did not tell them he went to another bar in Queenstown.
But in announcing his decision – it follows an appeal hearing held at a secret location last week – Thomas said he felt mitigating factors did not appear to have been taken into account "to the extent that they might otherwise have been".
Thomas countered: "Mike did not intentionally mislead the RFU team management when he stated that he could not remember where he was on the night of September 11, and that he was relying on other people's versions of events which were relayed to him.
"There was no evidence of any suggestion of sexual impropriety of any nature with the woman in question, and we accept the fact that she is a family friend who he has known for a long time.
"Mike expressed deep regret during the appeal meeting about his behaviour, and that he had apologised to (former England manager) Martin Johnson and the team for the events which unfolded as a consequence.
"There was no evidence that Mike had been involved in any incidences in the past which could contribute as aggravating factors."
