Tindall: Back soon

He won't be a million miles away from the start of the season. We're not pushing him with a timeline as the last thing we want is for him to break down now.

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

• England
• Gloucester

Players

• Mike Tindall
• Chris Paterson

Also see

• Rugby Union on Sky
• Rugby Union Scores
• Messageboards

Mike Tindall will not be rushed back to action despite the World Cup, according to Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan.

The 2003 World Cup winner missed out on England's final 30-man squad for France because of injury.

He still has a slim chance of making the tournament, as cover for any players that drop out.

But Gloucester's head coach insists he will be carefully brought back from the broken leg sustained while on duty in the Guinness Premiership in April.

"Mike was never going to play until late September and he's probably still on course to make it then," Ryan said.

"It was only his inclusion in the initial World Cup squads that got everybody excited that he might be back before then.

"He won't be a million miles away from the start of the season. We're not pushing him with a timeline as the last thing we want is for him to break down now.

"Each week he does more and we'll see how he reacts to that. At the moment he's still on track for the original timeline."

Strength

Ryan is also sounding a warning for new signing Chris Paterson, when he returns from the World Cup.

Ryan Lamb and Ludovic Mercier provide the competition for the number 10 jersey at Gloucester and Ryan insists Scotland's World Cup fly-half will have to earn his place.

"Chris Paterson is an exciting player. We've brought him in because he is a dangerous runner and solid goalkicker," he added.

"If he plays well then he will be in the side and that will create pressure on some of the other guys in the squad.

"We're not saying he has come here to play full-back or fly-half, he's come here to create pressure on both positions to make sure everybody is playing very well."

Gloucester will have to do without their World Cup stars for the start of the season anyway, against Leeds Carnegie on September 16.