Michael Owen backs England rugby players after night out

Manchester United forward Michael Owen has defended England’s rugby squad after CCTV footage emerged showing Mike Tindall and his teammates drinking in Queenstown on Sunday night.

The national side were given the day off after beating Argentina 13-9 in the club’s opening Rugby World Cup fixture.

Tindall, along with several teammates, frequented a number of bars in Queenstown, which has been documented by CCTV footage later uploaded to YouTube.

Despite the furore surrounding the team’s antics, the former Liverpool player believes that it has been blown out of proportion and could distract the team from the job at hand.

"Why the fuss? Have our rugby players done that much wrong?” Owen wrote on his Twitter page. “Hard enough to win a World Cup without people making something out of nothing."

England boss Martin Johnson also came to the defence of his players, stating that the team is “closer” after the events.