Mike Tindall eager to work with Nigel Davies at Gloucester

Mike Tindall has said the arrival of new director of rugby Nigel Davies persuaded him to stay at Gloucester.

The centre, 33, agreed a one-year deal to become player-coach at Kingsholm.

"Nigel coming in was really positive for me. You've seen what he's done with the Scarlets and the road he's gone down with their guys," he said.

"People who are finishing, keeping them in the club, people who care about the club and that's what he wanted to do with me as well."

The club announced Tindall's departure in April and the former England centre, who is married to the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips, spoke to a number of clubs in France and England.

However, the offer of a new dual role was too good to resist.

"I always wanted to stay here so it was perfect for me as well," he added.

Tindall will be working with an exciting-looking backline that includes Freddie Burns, Charlie Sharples and Jonny May, plus new signing Billy Twelvetrees, and he hopes to instil in them the playing philosophy Davies encouraged at his former club in Wales.

"If you look at how the Scarlets played last year, they liked playing their rugby," Tindall told BBC Points West.

"I think he's perfect with how Gloucester's brand over the last three years has come about. We want to play entertaining, high-scoring rugby.

"He's not expecting me to fly up there and be taking sessions in front of the boys straight away.

"It's hard at the moment as you're training with all the boys, so you're tired most of the time, and you've got to do a few things after work as well.

"He's going to help guide me, and work with me, and hopefully mould me into how I want to be."