Johnson: Angry with trio

Johnson made James Haskell, Dylan Hartley and Chris Ashton formally apologise to Annabelle Newton after she was left upset by some inappropriate comments during England's stay in Dunedin.

The incident occurred in the days before England moved to Queenstown, where team also hoot the headlines for the wrong reasons following a drunken night out.

Mike Tindall was in the spotlight for his actions that night and Johnson again defended his conduct following more accusations in the newspaper.

The England boss insisted any misleading information Tindall gave as to his whereabouts that night was "not a cover-up" but a simple mistake.

And in addressing the allegations over player conduct in the team hotel, Johnson said: "I was angry with them. It is just the sort of thing we have talked about.

"What they thought was humour and a light-hearted exchange has clearly not been taken that way by Annabel, the girl involved.

"At the time they apologised when they realised they had stepped over the mark. They had no idea how upset she subsequently became.

"We were in Queenstown for a few days. When we returned I spoke to the hotel manager, apologised to him for the disturbance we had caused to him and his staff.

"The guys formally apologised. They were shocked when they understood how upset she had become.

"We investigated the facts fully. They have been disciplined. They have been reprimanded for their behaviour and left in no doubt.

"If you leave yourself open for these headlines to be written it drags us all into it and that is what makes me particularly angry."