RWC #32: England’s dwarf throwing scandal

After winning it in 2003 and making the final in 2007, the 2011 World Cup proved a bridge too far for England, who were sent packing in the quarter-finals by eventual runners-up France.

But while the 2003 tournament will be remembered for Jonny Wilkinson’s drop goal, and 2007 for Mark Cueto’s try that never was, it was events off the pitch which marked England’s 2011 campaign.

Martin Johnson’s side got off to the perfect start in New Zealand, edging out their main competition in Pool B, Argentina,13-9 in Dunedin.

Still basking in the afterglow of victory, a number of England players went for a night out in Queenstown and became embroiled in the biggest dwarf throwing scandal of our time.

Indeed, the bar Johnson’s players had attended just so happened to be holding a ‘Mad Midget Weekender.’

The players involved, including captain Mike Tindall, insisted players were there with the permission of management and didn’t do anything untoward - emphasising they didn’t actually throw any midgets.

The owner of the bar, Altitude, backed them up, he said: “They were great lads, not throwing the midgets, it was all light-hearted, good-humoured fun.”

Tindall was left even more red faced after CCTV footage emerged of him flirting with, according to The Sun, "a particularly gorgeous blond," just weeks after he had tied the knot with the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips.

It is likely it was Martin Johnson who was more annoyed than the Queen, with the Queenstown incident following a high profile sex scandal when England visited Auckland in 2008.