Tindall suffered a disappointing World Cup with his contribution on the field largely overshadowed by off-the-pitch controversy involving a trip to a Queenstown night club.

To compound his misery, the 32-year-old was dropped for the quarter-final defeat to France in favour of Toby Flood.

But despite welcoming his return to Kingsholm, former Scotland scrum-half Redpath warned Tindall that he will have to work hard to regain his first-team place for club and country ahead of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations.

"I respect Mike massively, he is a rugby player and that's how he will be judged. Many people judge him on many other things,” said Redpath.

"I spoke to him on Friday and Sunday because he wanted to know all the plays and moves and to do a bit of homework.

"He needs to play at Gloucester and he needs to get his head down and work hard and forget what he has been through over the last three or four months and knuckle down.

“If he knuckles down he will push for a place, and if he doesn't he is the same as everyone else at the club."